- Saturday, March 25, 2023
Senior Scottish lawyer Aamer Anwar, who represented two former cricket players who faced racist abuse, has alleged that Cricket Scotland remains 'unfit for purpose', reported The Times. Anwar's comments came after Cricket Scotland’s interim chief executive Gordon Arthur announced his decision to stand down next month. Credited with stabilising the…
On Monday (20) increased security measures were implemented around the Indian High Commission following an act of vandalism committed by Khalistan supporters on Sunday (19). Scotland Yard detained one person in relation to the incident. India has requested that the UK take swift action to arrest and prosecute all individuals…
BRITAIN’S pharmacy sector is in crisis and at risk of a significant collapse, according to Janet Morrison, chief of the team that negotiates pharmacy’s national contract with the government. Pharmacy, which relies heavily on income from prescriptions, cannot afford to “carry on with the current format of a contract…
The number of voting members of the Scottish National Party (SNP) has shrunk dramatically from its pre-pandemic peak.It now has 72,186 members eligible to vote in the ongoing leadership contest, compared with 125,000 in 2019 when the membership size topped out - clocking a decline of about 42 per cent…
KTC (Edibles) Limited, the UK’s leading supplier of edible oils to foodservice, wholesalers, and food manufacturers, has acquired Cardowan Creameries Limited. Established in 1930 as an independent family business based in Scotland, Cardowan is a specialist margarine manufacturer, supplying over 20,000 metric tonnes annually to manufacturers and wholesalers across the…
Jeremy Hunt, chancellor of the exchequer, announced on Wednesday (15) that most working parents in England will be offered 30 hours of free childcare for their under-fives, to ease cost-of-living pressures on families. The policy, part of the government's tax and spending plans unveiled in the budget, will eventually apply…
At the annual Commonwealth Day ceremony on Monday (13), soldiers from the Indian subcontinent who lost their lives in the two World Wars were honoured alongside service members from the Commonwealth. The Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill played host to defence personnel and diplomats, including Indian high commissioner to the…
SNP leadership hopeful Humza Yousaf said he would go all out to press for Scotland's independence if he succeeds Nicola Sturgeon as the first minister of the country.The Scottish health secretary, who is among three aspirants left in the fray for his party’s leadership, said he would use "any means…
Voting to elect a new Scottish leader opened on Monday (13), with all three candidates pledging to reinvigorate outgoing first minister Nicola Sturgeon's push for independence. Sturgeon's independence drive hit trouble after the UK government blocked her plans to hold a fresh referendum on the issue. The vote is the…
PRIME minister Rishi Sunak, Arsenal CEO Vinai Venkatesham and pathbreaking lawyer Ayesha Vardag were among the winners at the annual GG2 Leadership and Diversity Awards, held at the Park Plaza hotel on Tuesday (7). Sunak took home the coveted GG2 Hammer Award for smashing through the ultimate glass ceiling by…
A journalist has accused the Scottish National Party (SNP) of imposing curbs on the media by restricting access to reporters to its leadership hustings. Daily Record political editor Paul Hutcheon said barring journalists from attending would give the impression that the SNP is less transparent than the Conservatives, the BBC…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday (28) urged pro-UK politicians in Northern Ireland to grab the economic "prize" on offer after he secured a breakthrough reform deal with the European Union. On a visit to the tense province, Sunak said he was "over the moon" at clinching the pact…
A NEW law raising the legal age for marriage in England and Wales to 18 years came into force on Monday (27), aimed at protecting vulnerable young people from being forced into weddings against their will. Until now, those aged 16 or 17 could get married with parental consent as…
SNP leadership candidate Humza Yousaf has said that he missed the final vote on Scotland's equal marriage legislation in 2014 due to an 'unavoidable' engagement about a death row prisoner in Pakistan. Alex Neil, who was in charge of the legislation eight years ago, alleged that Yousaf skipped the final…
TWO-TIME champion SSP Chawrasia will look to rekindle his love affair with the Hero Indian Open as he and Shubhankar Sharma eye glory at the country’s flagship golf event began at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram on Thursday (23). With a prize money of $2 million (…
A FORMER officer of Metropolitan Police has accused the department of targeting her for being a whistleblower on alleged racism. According to her, it happened after she faced the threat of legal action over a memoir she penned detailing her sour experience in service. However, despite the legal and other…
CHEF Asma Khan has said Britain is still paying a very high price after the UK left the European Union. Khan, who set up her restaurant, Darjeeling Express, in central London, said a shortage of staff hit the hospitality industry, especially in London. She told The Telegraph, “The backbone of…
SCOTTISH health secretary Humza Yousaf said on Saturday he would run in the leadership contest to replace Nicola Sturgeon as Scottish National Party (SNP) leader and first minister.Yousaf becomes the first to publicly announce his intention to stand in the race after Sturgeon's surprise resignation earlier in the week saying…
Two SNP MPs who have south Asian connections are among the possible contenders to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as the first minister of Scotland.Sturgeon announced her resignation dramatically Wednesday after more than eight eventful years in office, setting off the race for a new leader to deliver on her party's faltering…
The results of a survey conducted by The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) have revealed that pharmacists in England are reporting that the rising cost of living is affecting patients' ability to pay for their prescribed medications. According to the RPS, the survey was conducted among its community pharmacist members in…
A new policy paper has called for targeted interventions to end homelessness among ethnic minorities in UK as it found stark inequalities in this segment in the country, a statement said. According to the policy paper, Bangladeshi, black African, black Other, and Pakistani groups are more than twice as likely…
India has overtaken France to become the UK’s largest market of Scotch whisky in terms of volume with a 60 per cent hike in imports in 2022 over the previous year, according to the latest figures released by Scotland’s leading industry body. The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) revealed on Friday…
In one of the largest tax-settlement cases in Scotland, a 44-year-old man from East Lothian has been asked to pay back unpaid tax worth £600,000 following a raid at his residence and seizure of £1million from a number of his bank accounts. According to Daily Record, Goljar Singh was tracked…
In a shocking case that has dominated headlines in the UK, an Indian-origin judge on Tuesday handed down 36 life sentences to a serial rapist convicted of violent and brutal sexual offences against a dozen women over a 17-year period as a Scotland Yard police officer. Justice Parmjit Kaur "Bobbie"…
Sikh engineer Navjot Sawhney, who created hand-cranked washing machine to support families worldwide and Glasgow charity founder Khalid Raza, who recycles wheelchairs for the disabled, have won the UK prime minister Rishi Sunak's Points of Light Award. Sawhney set up the Washing Machine Project four years ago which can be…
THE future in the world of arts belonging to the young is perfectly illustrated by a new generation of south Asians who stood out in diverse fields. These exciting talents are breaking boundaries, expanding horizons, shattering glass ceilings, and delighting audiences with their amazing performances. They are inspiring other youngsters…
IN HER quest to carve a space for Asians in UK’s art world, photographic artist Arpita Shah hopes to elicit and celebrate the country’s multicultural history, with a focus on south Asian female identity. Commissioned by Birmingham-based arts organisation GRAIN Projects and funded by Arts Council England and Birmingham City…
Cricket Scotland’s chief executive officer Gordon Arthur has denied his comments on barriers ethnic minorities faced in cricket had racist connotations. He told the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee of Scottish Parliament that he had the cricket administrator’s new chairman Anjan Luthra in mind when he made the remark.In…
Scottish National Party MP Martin Docherty-Hughes has urged the UK government to secure the release of a Sikh campaigner who has been in the custody of Indian authorities for more than five years. Jagtar Singh Johal was arrested in Punjab when he was shopping with his wife in November 2017.…
Out of the many industries that exist around the world, some significantly outperform others in terms of financial performance. They see almost continuous overall growth and attract numerous new clients each year. Gambling is one industry that is experiencing expansive growth. Starting as a pastime that allowed players to try…
The UK government will block Scotland's controversial gender reform bill, Scotland Secretary Alister Jack said on Monday in a move that is likely to set up a legal showdown between the two governments. Jack said he was concerned that the move by the devolved legislature in Edinburgh to make it…
British prime minister Rishi Sunak will travel to Scotland and meet first minister Nicola Sturgeon on Thursday (19) for a private working dinner, as part of efforts to reset the two nations' strained ties. Sunak makes his first official visit to Scotland since taking office in October at a time…
There has been a rise in the number of Metropolitan Police officers put on restricted duties because of ongoing investigations into allegations of racism or sexual misconduct levelled against them.While 43 officers were not allowed to hold public-facing roles at the end of November because of the allegations of racism,…
According to data from the NHS, 1 in 3 drivers who are killed in road traffic accidents is over the legal alcohol limit. Also, each year, there are reportedly 280 fatalities due to drink driving. After losing his 18-year-old son to drink driving, a US-based neurosurgeon Dr Brian Hoeflinger has…
A new report published on Thursday (12) by NHS Blood and Transplant has shown that there is a significant requirement for more organ donors of Black and Asian heritage to help the growing number of patients seeking life-saving transplants. NHS Blood and Transplant is a joint England and Wales Special…
A trainee officer sacked from the Met Police has won a discrimination claim against the force.Shafi Karim worked as a probationary officer for five before he was dismissed in 2021 after his bosses raised concerns about his hearing abilities. He was advised to use a Rogers Pen wireless microphone as…
The UK has joined a growing list of countries, including India, to introduce curbs on travellers from China amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the country after Chinese authorities relaxed the strict "zero-COVID" rules. Passengers arriving from China to England from January 5, 2023, will need to show a…
A Cambridge professor who is a leading global figure in the economics of the natural environment, Professor Sir Partha Sarathi Dasgupta; COP-26 president Alok Sharma and drinks company Diageo’s CEO Ivan Menezes are among prominent Asians who have been recognised in the New Year Honour’s List published late last Friday…
British journalist and television presenter Ranvir Singh has said her colleagues’ refusal to call out discrimination at the workplace during the early years of her career motivated her to become who she is today.Singh, who appears in ITV’s Good Morning Britain programme, said when people around ignored her, she made…
A former Met Police officer, found guilty of misconduct during pandemic restrictions, has been barred from returning to any policing role.Hassan Mahmood visited a woman in her house in Mitcham in south London in January 2021 and paid her for sex. He was fined £660 at the City of London…
Plans to set up a memorial to the British Indian Army in Kelvingrove Park in Glasgow have been given a go-ahead. The plans for the structure, which will be erected near Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, were submitted on behalf of Colourful Heritage, which records first-hand accounts from first-generation members…
The Bombay High Court has quashed an FIR and subsequent charge sheet filed against a United Kingdom citizen for carrying a satellite phone.The HC said the offence was non-cognizable in nature and, hence, the police could not have registered a case without permission of the magistrate.A division bench of Justices…
Social care workers are being deployed to crowded hospitals in Scotland to cope with pressure during the Christmas season. Shortages of hospital beds have resulted in long queues of patients at hospitals and the cold weather during December and early January could compound the situation with surges in Covid-19 and…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Friday he was disappointed about disruption caused by strikes by unions representing workers in sectors including rail, health and border staff. "I'm really sad and disappointed about the disruption that has been caused to so many people's lives, particularly at Christmas time," Sunak…
British Prime Minster Rishi Sunak said it was "completely reasonable" for his government to examine transgender reforms passed in Scotland on Thursday given concerns raised by campaigners about the impact on women's safety. "Lots of people have got concerns about this new bill in Scotland, about the impact it will…
Scotland's parliament on Thursday approved disputed reforms that make it easier for transgender people to change their legal gender, including removing the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria and lowering the minimum age to 16 from 18. The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) bill passed by 86 votes to…
Conservative MP Bob Stewart is being investigated after being accused of racially abusing a Bahraini rights activist. Sayed Alwadaei, who had fled his native country in 2012 after being jailed and tortured for taking part in pro-democracy protests, complained to the Met Police that Stewart told him to “get stuffed”…
Former health secretary Sajid Javid has called for an “honest debate” on funding the NHS to make the health organisation sustainable for the future.He did not specify how it should be funded but suggested the UK should emulate Germany and France which run hybrid health systems.In Germany, employees pay seven…
Highlighting an Oxford University research on race-based inequalities in hiring is the best way to convince people that racism is a real problem, a new study found.Reframing Race, a charity, presented several anti-racism arguments to close to 20,000 people in England and Scotland to understand which message moved the respondents…
Heavy snowfall blanketed parts of Britain on Monday, disrupting airports, train networks and roads, and three young boys died after falling into an ice-covered lake as the country recorded its coldest night of the year so far. Parts of London's underground network were suspended or faced delays, while motorways were…
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has just revealed that more than 250 people in the UK have been struck down by a virulent form of food poisoning that is possibly linked to lettuce grown in the country. Though the food poisoning cases apparently occurred through the months of August to…
A 32-year-old man who kicked his partner and called her a "w****" has been spared a prison sentence but subjected to an 18-month community order. Mohammed Raza of Dundee, who pleaded guilty to common assault and criminal damage is also prohibited from contacting the woman for five years. The pair…
The first coinage featuring King Charles III will start to appear in circulation at Post Offices around the UK from Thursday, with millions of the new 50-pence coins bearing the new monarch’s portrait given out as change to customers. The coin with the 74-year-old monarch’s image reflects a transition from…
THE BBC should be ashamed that it has radio and television stations where newsrooms are entirely white and not representing the communities they serve. That is the feeling of current staff and former employees who have spoken to Eastern Eye. They said they warned the BBC that it would not…
Tory politician and the president of the Cop26 climate summit, Alok Sharma, has attacked plans to open the Cumbria coal mine in north west England, bordering Scotland. He opined that the project is a ‘backward step’ and would hit UK's 'hard-earned' international reputation. Sharma added that the project is unnecessary…
Met Police Sikh Association chair Ravjeet Gupta has said his turban reminds him to protect and serve. In a blog published on the Met Police website following the 25th anniversary of the Association, Gupta spoke about the role his faith plays in keeping London safe. He said Sikhism believes “in…
The Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) UK has hosted activities in 44 shakhas (branches) across the country as part of the UK Parliament week observations for the sixth year, a statement said. UK Parliament week, which takes place in November, targets to involve the entire young population, including members of the…
A eight-year-old Glasgow school student has become the youngest in UK to complete Abacus mental maths programme, one of the most advanced mental arithmetic programmes in the country. Chess prodigy and Glasgow’s St Patrick’s Primary School pupil Advik Mittal, 8, has been selected to represented Scotland in the under 12…
Media reports inform that under the current legislation for England, Wales, and Scotland, there is a 24-week time limit for having an abortion, however, the law allows up until birth if "there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental…
Prime minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday (23) that he respected the decision by the UK's top court on Scotland's referendum vote, adding that the Scottish people wanted the government to focus on the major challenges ahead. Asked about the Supreme Court ruling, Sunak said: "I think that the people…
The UK's top court ruled on Wednesday (23) that the Scottish government cannot hold a second referendum on independence without approval from the British parliament, dealing a hammer blow to nationalists' hopes of holding a vote next year. In 2014, Scots rejected ending the more-than 300-year-old union with England by…
ENGLAND winning consistently at cricket still feels a little bit out of character. Yet last weekend’s World Cup victory makes England champions in both the 20-over and 50-over formats, after a sweeping defeat of India in the semi-final was followed by a strong bowling performance that put the final beyond…
Research shows that those women who find a non-cancerous lump or cyst in the breast are at double the risk of cancer developing later in life. A study of 800,000 Spanish women who were screened for breast cancer discovered that women with a benign lump were 96% more likely to…
INSPIRATIONAL grocers were recognised for their achievements during a period of economic challenges and personal loss for the sector at the 33rd Asian Trader Awards, which took place at London’s Park Plaza Westminster Hotel last Wednesday (9). The top award of the evening – the Asian Trader of the Year…
London mayor Sadiq Khan on Monday (14) said 40 per cent of Londoners think that they will struggle to meet their rent payments as he sought to bring together private renters, charities, advocacy groups, and politicians to call on the government to tackle the capital's spiralling rental crisis urgently, a…
Nearly one in six people living in England and Wales last year were born outside the country and Indians constituted the largest chunk at 1.5 per cent of residents, according to latest statistics based on the country's 2021 census data. The UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that India…
A top watchdog has opened investigations into the allegations that police officers responsible for guarding nuclear facilities and materials were engaged in racist and other offensive conversations. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said its two probes would look into the accusations that nine officers of the Civil Nuclear…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Wednesday (2) that he will attend the COP27 climate summit in Egypt next week, reversing his previous decision to skip the meeting in Sharm El Sheikh to focus on domestic issues and the economic crisis in the UK. Sunak took to Twitter to…
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday defended his heavily criticised decision not to attend next month's COP27 climate change summit, saying he had to focus on "pressing" economic problems. In an interview with Sky News a day after Downing Street announced he was skipping the summit, the prime minister…
I’m a patriot, I’m proud to be British, but I’m also realistic, writes Barnie Choudhury. It pains me to have to justify myself. Yet I feel I must. Why? Because I am a brown man, who was not born in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. I am an immigrant,…
In a momentous day, Britain’s first south Asian prime minister, who became the Conservative Party leader on Diwali day [24], has vowed to unite the country and his riven party. Speaking on the steps of Number 10, Rishi Sunak, a practising Hindu, told the country that he would be a…
Indian-origin Rishi Sunak on Tuesday witnessed both bricks and bouquets from the UK media as he scripted history by becoming the first person of colour to become the Prime Minister of Britain, which in the past had colonised most of the world, with some news outlets acknowledging his leadership as…
A Bangladeshi man experienced his worst ever holiday in life after he was allegedly mauled by a dog while in London last month. Businessman Md Mahbubar Rashid Jewel, 52, said that following the attack he couldn't sleep because of the pain. The Asian man also lost £700 on flights and…
British actor Rupert Grint is the newest cast member from The 'Harry Potter' movie franchise who has shared a heartfelt tribute for his late co-star Robbie Coltrane who recently passed away at the age of 72. According to Variety, taking to Instagram Grint shared an image of Robbie, who played…
A much-awaited review into the Metropolitan Police’s culture and standards is pitching for easing of procedures to sack misogynist and racist officers of the force, media reports said. According to the probe by Baroness Louise Casey, too many “abhorrent” individuals continued to remain on the frontline of Scotland Yard because…
British actor Daniel Radcliffe and JK Rowling, the author of the 'Harry Potter' books on which the films are based, have shared statements following the death of Robbie Coltrane at 72, who famously played the role of Rubeus Hagrid in the franchise. Coltrane and Radcliffe starred together in all eight…
Actor Robbie Coltrane, best known for playing Hogwarts gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid in 'Harry Potter' films, is no more. As per Deadline, Robbie died in hospital near his home in Larbert, Scotland. The award-winning actor had been suffering from ill health for the past two years. He was 72. Robbie was…
The free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with India are no longer working towards a Diwali deadline, UK Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch has confirmed. During a visit to a Scotch whisky distillery on Thursday, the Cabinet minister in charge of the FTA negotiations at the Department for International Trade (DIT) said…
Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami took to Twitter on Wednesday (12) to explain steps being taken to ramp up capacity and address the difficulty in getting an Indian visa by travellers from Britain. There has been a mounting backlog for Indian visas in recent months, as applicants…
Britain’s largest police force has said it is actively working on the commitment to record the ethnicity of drivers stopped by its offers.The Metropolitan Police ran such a pilot in London for six months last year after being asked by the Mayor’s Action Plan on Accountability and Trust in Policing.However,…
UK police watchdog has started a criminal investigation against six serving police officers and a former officer over 'discriminatory, derogatory or pornographic' messages on a WhatsApp group, according to reports. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched the probe against five officers serving with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary…
The Metropolitan police commissioner has promised that he 'will be ruthless in rooting out' racists from the force following the emergence of a WhatsApp group chat scandal involving serving and retired officers, according to reports. Former Met officer Rob Lewis, who created the group, was suspended this week for posting…
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is believed to be investigating a ‘high-profile’ player following claims that he hurled racist slurs at his former team-mate years ago.According to a Sportsmail report, the player in the eye of the latest storm hitting English cricket used the derogatory word P*** against…
According to a new study and polling that was undertaken by LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall and Ipsos, there seem to be stark generational differences with regard to sexual attraction. The latest discovery is that only half of Generation Z are entirely attracted to people of the opposite sex. For the purposes…
The Harry Potter author JK Rowling has called Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon 'destroyer of women’s rights' as the former extended support to people protesting over a new gender recognition law in the country, media reports said. On Thursday (6) lawmakers in Scotland showed the green light to a new…
Britain’s King Charles III hosted his first major event in Scotland for the South Asian diaspora since becoming monarch last month as a celebration of charity initiatives geared towards the region. The event for the British Asian Trust, founded by him as the Prince of Wales in 2007 to tackle…
With the virus being detected across 155 sites so far, and 47.5m birds being culled since last autumn, the UK continues to be affected by one of the worst avian flu outbreaks in its history. According to the National Farmers' Union (NFU), avian flu H5N1 has been confirmed in captive…
New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that half of adults in England and Wales received a 'phishing' message for the year ending March 2022. According to results from the Telephone-operated Crime Survey of England and Wales (TCSEW), those aged 25 to 44 years are most likely…
New Metropolitan Police boss Sir Mark Rowley has vowed to “ruthlessly” root out racists and misogynists from the organisation. He admitted Scotland Yard had been “far too weak” in taking on those who undermined the honest and dedicated majority. But he said he was determined to “get the culture right”…
Britain's University of Cambridge said on Thursday it had benefited from the proceeds of slavery over its history, and promised to expand scholarships for Black students and fund more research into the murderous trade. The acknowledgement comes as a string of leading institutions - from the bank of england to…
The Metropolitan Police needs to improve its recording of the grounds for stop and search, a watchdog has found. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) estimated in its report that close to 76 per cent of all stop and searches conducted by Scotland Yard during…
Many candidates at the May elections reported experiencing abuse, threatening behaviour and intimidation, the UK’s elections watchdog revealed.The Electoral Commission’s reports found that while 40 per cent of candidates in England and Wales reported intimidation in elections, the proportion went up to 44 per cent in Scotland. But it was…
Some 250,000 mourners filed past Queen Elizabeth's coffin at Westminster Hall in London during her lying-in-state, Britain's culture minister Michelle Donelan said on Tuesday. "It's approximately around the 250,000 mark. We're just crunching those final numbers," Donelan told Times radio. The full figures would be released in due course, she…
President Droupadi Murmu arrived in London on Saturday (17) evening to attend the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and to offer condolences on behalf of the Indian government. Queen Elizabeth II, who died aged 96 at her summer residence of Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, is lying-in-state…
King Charles III has pledged to uphold the “additional duty” as a new monarch of protecting the diversity of the UK and be a sovereign of all communities around the Commonwealth. Addressing a group of faith leaders on Friday evening in the Bow Room at Buckingham Palace, where just days…
Here are a few numbers related to the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Monday. 1,500 The number of miles (2,414 kilometres) travelled by the new King Charles III in his first week on the throne. Charles began his reign with visits to Scotland, where he was at the…
American singer-songwriter Britney Spears has claimed that she and Prince William had a 'cyber relationship' during their teenage years before he met Kate Middleton. Spears revealed that she and Prince William had an email interaction while they were teenagers in an interview with talk show host Frank Skinner in 2002.…
American president Joe Biden is among the few foreign dignitaries allowed to use their own cars to the venue of the Queen’s funeral while other world leaders would have to use a shared bus, media reports said. The funeral for Elizabeth II who died in Scotland last week will be…
A Mexican student arrested in Edinburgh over the weekend after an anti-monarchy demonstration claimed the “wrongful” police action against her was “a violation of freedom of speech.” Mariángela, who did not wish to reveal her last name, was holding a sign reading “f*** imperialism, abolish monarchy” during a ceremony for…
Rights groups have deplored the arrests of anti-monarchy protesters in the UK during events following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Two young people have been arrested in Scotland since Sunday over breach of peace and public order while a man was rounded up in England for similar reasons. The…
King Charles III on Monday (12) addressed Parliament for the first time as Britain's monarch during which he pledged to follow the example of selfless duty set by his "darling late mother" Queen Elizabeth II in upholding "the precious principles of constitutional governance. Responding to the condolences offered by the…
Queen Elizabeth II’s love for India and the Commonwealth, shared by her son and successor King Charles III, were the recurring themes as Indian-origin members of Parliament, peers and diaspora groups paid tribute to the late monarch. In special sittings of the Houses of Parliament over the past few days…
The face of Queen Elizabeth II will continue to appear on its currency, the Bloomberg reported. Queen was the head of state of Canada, a former British colony. In 2011, Canada decided to feature Queen Elizabeth's image on the backs of coins and on plastic-based C$20 ($15.28) bank notes. According…
Queen Elizabeth, the longest-reigning monarch in Britain's history, died on Thursday (8) aged 96, and her son Charles succeeded to the throne immediately. Here is an explanation of the protocol surrounding the official accession of a new monarch and Saturday's ceremony formally proclaiming Charles as king. An Accession Council has…
With Charles succeeding his mother Queen Elizabeth II as the British monarch, his wife Camilla is set to get the crown which holds the famous Indian-origin Kohinoor diamond.The Queen Concert will receive the crown when the formal coronation of the new king takes place after the mourning of Elizabeth who…
An American university professor created a flutter on social media by wishing Queen Elizabeth II would die an intensely painful death. Her comment drew immediate condemnation from Amazon boss Jeff Bezos.Uju Anya, an associate professor of second language acquisition at the Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Mellon University, wrote on Twitter, “I heard…
India on Friday declared one-day mourning on September 11 on the passing away of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Elizabeth II, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, passed away on Thursday. "As a mark of respect to the departed dignitary, the Government of India has decided that there…
Queen Elizabeth, Britain's longest-reigning monarch and the nation's figurehead for seven decades, died at her home in Scotland aged 96 on Thursday. "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon," Buckingham Palace said in a statement. "The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will…
Britain's royal family rushed to be with Queen Elizabeth after doctors said they were concerned about the health of the 96-year-old monarch on Thursday and said she should remain under medical supervision. The queen, Britain's longest-reigning sovereign and the world's oldest monarch, has been suffering from what Buckingham Palace has…
A veteran political commentator and former BBC journalist has apologised for a “unacceptable” racist remark on the diverse cabinet of new prime minister Liz Truss. Iain Macwhirter’s “coconut cabinet” jibe on the appointment of people of colour to the three great offices of the government, sparked outrage on social media…
Local authorities in a Scottish region have discontinued a period dignity officer role within weeks of controversially appointing a man for the job.A group of colleges and local councils in Tayside had last month announced that Jason Grant had been hired to handle the distribution of free period products to…
Britain's new prime minister Liz Truss convenes her senior ministers for an inaugural cabinet meeting on Wednesday on her first full day in office, before she faces a barrage of questions in parliament. Truss, who officially became leader Tuesday at an audience with the head of state Queen Elizabeth II…
Britain's Rishi Sunak, who lost the race to become Britain's prime minister on Monday, said the party must now unite behind winner Liz Truss. "It's right we now unite behind the new PM, Liz Truss, as she steers the country through difficult times," Sunak said on Twitter. Truss, 47, will…
The UK's new prime minister, Liz Truss, takes power following a "summer of discontent" and as Britons tighten their belts in response to double-digit inflation and soaring energy costs. "We have a historically huge shock to the cost of living and incomes," said James Smith, research director of the Resolution…
Liz Truss will become Britain's next prime minister after winning a leadership race for the governing Conservative party on Monday, vowing to press ahead with promises of tax cuts and to deal with a growing energy crisis. After weeks of an often bad-tempered and divisive leadership contest, Truss, currently the…
Rachael Warwick, who oversees three schools in southeast England, has had to sign a new contract to heat and light their buildings at tariffs that she describes as "eye-watering". The executive head teacher of Ridgeway Education Trust in Oxfordshire calculates that if the schools she runs use the same amount…
The makers of the hit Netflix series 'The Crown' have revealed who is set to play Prince William and Kate Middleton in Season 6. According to Variety, the young prince will be played by 16-year-old Rufus Kampa and 21-year-old Ed McVey, respectively. Meg Bellamy will portray Kate Middleton in the…
Author JK Rowling, who made headlines for sharing her controversial views on transgender rights lately, has come up with a new novel that involves a storyline about a woman who is killed after being accused of transphobia. In conversation with Graham Norton, Rowling told that her new novel, "The Ink…
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar slammed the UK’s “zombie government” for its failure to reign in household energy bills, saying the “inaction” by Westminster angered him. He also reminded the devolved administration of Scotland of its “moral duty” to help people whose savings were squeezed by the high cost of…
Just under 200,000 people will decide who becomes the new leader of Britain's ruling Conservative party and prime minister. The following on the Tory electorate is largely based on a research initiative -- the Party Members Project (PMP) -- by Queen Mary University of London and Sussex University, published in…
Author JK Rowling has finally opened up about her absence from the "Harry Potter" reunion special, saying she made a conscious decision to skip it. In an interview Saturday as part of Graham Norton's Radio Show Podcast, Rowling addressed the rumours claiming she wasn't invited for the 20th anniversary reunion…
At the beginning of this month, Warner Bros. decided to scrap a number of high-profile projects, including the much-awaited Batgirl. While fans are still busy requesting the studio to reconsider its decision, a leading publication reports that funeral screenings of Batgirl will be taking place soon for a select group…
The Indian National Students Association, UK has launched a fundraiser for Indian students who died in an accident in Scotland on August 19. Three Indian students, including two Leicester University students and a graduate from the institute, died in a car-lorry collision while on a holiday in the Appin area…
The University of St Andrews has said that Golf and Cricket were ‘imposed’ around the world by the British Empire, according to a report in The Telegraph. A new exhibition by the University examined the sport’s contentious links and found out that Golf balls were the product of colonial exploitation. …
Bus drivers in London are set to strike over pay for two days this weekend, their union announced on Wednesday, as decades-high inflation prompts walkouts across Britain's ailing economy. Around 1,600 drivers from the London United bus company will stage the stoppage on Sunday and Monday over the traditional end-of-summer…
A charity in Scotland is investigating an incident in which an Alba party member posted a video of the BBC Scotland editor James Cook being abused as a 'traitor' outside the Tory leadership hustings, according to a report. Farah Hamid, 53, published a film of Cook facing an angry crowd…
A rights group has accused the UK’s intelligence agencies of sharing information with Indian authorities about a Sikh campaigner before his “unlawful arrest”. Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton in Scotland, was detained in the north Indian state of Punjab while he was shopping with his wife in November 2017. In…
The Metropolitan Police has apologised over its training material which appeared to "racially stereotype" people of Turkish heritage.Scotland Yard said it “misjudged the wider impact” of a case study in the material, which had been “designed by educational professionals”. A Turkish Muslim man was the subject of the case study…
The Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation is hosting a panel discussion with distinguished guests on September 1 to examine the expulsion of the Asian community from Uganda by then president Idi Amin Dada in 1972, the experiences of those who came to Britain and the contribution they have made to…
A Glasgow-based museum has signed a historic agreement with the Indian government to repatriate seven artefacts including a 14th-century Indo-Persian sword, a first such move by the UK museums service. The transfer of ownership took place in the presence of the Indian High Commission officials on Friday, according to the…
A police force in England has deployed cardboard cut-outs of officers to deter car crime and speeding drivers, according to reports. But locals called the move a 'lazy gimmick' and a 'joke'. West Mercia Police will position two lifesize figures of police officers, known as Bob, in Shropshire with high-vis…
The Pleasance Theatre in Edinburgh cancelled comedian Jerry Sadowitz's show as the content was 'extreme in its racism, sexism, homophobia and misogyny'. Sadowitz hit back saying that he was 'cheapened and simplified' by the decision, media reports said. Many authors and comedians including JK Rowling have slammed the decision to…
A council in Scotland has been accused of 'mansplaining' after appointing a man as 'period dignity officer'. Many on social media termed the move 'peak gender idiocy', according to a media report. Mansplaining is a pejorative term meaning "to comment on or explain something to a woman in a condescending,…
The two candidates battling to be Britain's next prime minister will vie to present themselves as defenders of Scotland's place in the UK on Tuesday (16) by promising more scrutiny of Scotland's government to undermine a new push for independence. The Scottish National Party, which heads Scotland's semi-autonomous government, wants…
Renowned writer JK Rowling received an online death threat after condemning the attack on Indian-born novelist Salman Rushdie, prompting Police Scotland to investigate the matter. Soon after the news broke of the attempt on Rushdie’s life in New York on Friday, the Harry Potter author tweeted, “Feeling very sick right…
Afghan refugees have rejected the plan to relocate them to Scotland and Wales citing cold weather and limited English language skills as reasons, according to a report. Currently, they are housed in hotels and the UK is spending about £1 million a day for 9,500 Afghans who fled the country in…
New Zealand Cricket said on Thursday that they are looking into allegations by former skipper Ross Taylor that he suffered racism. The 38-year-old, who is of New Zealand-Samoan descent, retired from international cricket in April after a glorious career spanning 16 years. Taylor's comments are the latest accusation of racism…
Britain will run out of monkeypox vaccines in about two to three weeks as the country has little more than 8,300 doses of vaccine left, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. Shipments of a new order of 100,000 doses will not resume until late September, the report added citing an…
NHS dentistry has been in a crisis situation for many years now. Additionally, many dental surgeries say it is no longer financially viable to offer NHS procedures, leading to an 'exodus' of dentists into the private sector, the Daily Mail reports. According to a new survey it has been found…
The UK on Tuesday (9) launched a free nationwide 24-hour helpline to support east and south-east Asian victims of racism and other forms of hate. The service can be accessed at www.onyoursideuk.org or by calling 0808 801 0393. The On Your Side helpline will provide tailored and culturally sensitive support…
Prime Minister Boris Johnson came under heavy criticism on Monday for allowing a political vacuum at the heart of his government to threaten an even deeper economic crisis in Britain before his successor takes office in September. Britain is bracing for a long recession as energy prices surge to unprecedented…
New figures on Monday (8) revealed that post offices handled a record £801 million in personal cash withdrawals in July. In total, over £3.3 billion in cash was deposited and withdrawn over post office counters, the first time when the figures have crossed the £3.3 billion threshold in Post Office’s…
Although the 1967 Abortion Act legalises terminations in England, Wales and Scotland (up to 23 weeks), neither the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act nor the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929 have been repealed. This means those women who have unregulated abortions or try to end their pregnancy without medical…
Fifty years ago, dictator Idi Amin announced his intention to expel Uganda's thriving community of British South Asians. They were given 90 days to leave, or be rounded up in concentration camps. More than 27,000 ethnic Indian and Pakistani holders of UK passports made their way to Britain, which reluctantly…
The number of revenge porn cases in Scotland has more than doubled in the past five years, according to the latest figures. Police recorded 912 incidents in 2021, up from 421 in 2017/18, revealed an analysis by Scotland's justice and social affairs magazine 1919. In 2018, there were 407 reports,…
As a seven-year-old in 1983, Liz Truss played the role of Britain's then prime minister Margaret Thatcher in her school's mock elections but failed to get a single vote. Four decades on, the foreign secretary is again bidding to emulate the Iron Lady to become Conservative party leader and prime…
It is estimated that about 900,000 people in the UK suffer with dementia. Also, a study in The Lancet in 2018 suggested that about 60,000 of the 209,600 new cases of dementia diagnosed in the country each year could be due to poor air quality, The Times reports. Dementia is a disabling,…
A Glasgow paediatrician has been struck off the medical register for misdiagnosing children with cancer to scare parents into paying for expensive private treatment, media reports said. Mina Chowdhury, 45, who owned Meras clinic in Glasgow, was found guilty of misconduct by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Services, upon referral from…
Majid Haq scorned the failure of Scotland players to speak out following the publication of a report on racism in Cricket Scotland, saying it showed that the team taking a knee before games to protest racism was little more than tokenism. The report, published on Monday, found the governance and…
Azeem Rafiq said he was "incredibly proud" of former Scotland cricketers Majid Haq and Qasim Sheikh for speaking out about the racist abuse they had suffered in their careers, which led to a damning review into Cricket Scotland. The review, which was backed by SportScotland, was published on Monday and…
The governance and leadership practices of Cricket Scotland have been found to be "institutionally racist", the organisation leading the independent review of the governing body said on Monday. The study confirmed there were 448 examples that demonstrated institutional racism, with 62% of survey respondents saying they had experienced, seen or…
The board of Cricket Scotland resigned with immediate effect on Sunday, a day before an independent report into racism in the sport is published.The review was commissioned after allegations were made by one of the country's all-time leading wicket-takers, Majid Haq, who said Cricket Scotland was "institutionally racist".Haq's former team…
ELECTIONS divide – and the race to determine the next leader of the Conservative party is no different. Every candidate for prime minister has reminded the Tories they will need to unite around whoever emerges as leader. But calls for a clean contest have been honoured more in the breach…
A medical tribunal has ordered to restore the licence of a doctor, who was struck off for leaving a busy A&E ward to take a nap, according to reports. It ordered to suspend her for six months instead. Dr Raisah Sawati, 33, from Glasgow, Scotland, was removed from service by…
Despite a significant increase in alcohol-specific deaths in the UK in 2020, not much research has been conducted on consumer perceptions of alcohol packaging as a versatile marketing tool, states a study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. This study was recently conducted with the objective of…
ELECTIONS divide – and the race to determine the next leader of the Conservative party is no different. Every candidate for prime minister has reminded the Conservatives that they will need to unite around whoever emerges as leader. But calls for a clean contest have been honoured more in the…
Thousands of parents in Britain have had their children removed and adopted without their consent since the turn of the century -- many more than in any of its European neighbours. This is largely due to the UK legal system's focus on the well-being of the child, and the requirement…
AN estimated 3.5 million people in Britain had Covid-19 in the latest week of available data, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Friday (15), up nearly 30 per cent from the 2.7 million recorded in the previous week. Separately, the government announced that a new Covid booster jab…
Britain should formally apologise to unmarried mothers who were forced to give up their babies for adoption, according to an official report Friday that gave harrowing detail of the anguish suffered by the women.Some 185,000 children were taken away for adoption between 1949 and 1976 in England and Wales, the…
Former Kingfisher Airlines boss Vijay Mallya, who is based in Britain for over five years, Monday, expressed his disappointment at the Supreme Court verdict sentencing him to four months in a contempt case. The 66-year-old UK-based businessman did not comment further on the verdict handed down by a top court…
A Scotland Yard officer, jailed for misconduct, claimed he had covered up an assault on Asian men.Deniz Jaffer said in a WhatsApp group that the attackers were let off after his “off the record” chat. The disgraced officer also used racist language to describe the Asians.Jaffer said the incident involved…
A British teenager appeared in court in the Spanish island Menorca on Tuesday (5) over a bomb hoax on an EasyJet flight from the UK. He was identified as Aditya Verma, 18, a chess-playing prodigy who has been offered a place at Cambridge University, the MailOnline reported. Verma was released…
Britain's finance and health ministers resigned in quick succession on Tuesday, in moves that put the future of Prime Minister Boris Johnson in peril after a series of scandals that have damaged his administration.Below is a summary of some of those who could be in the frame to replace him…
The leader of the Labour Party in Scotland on Monday ruled out any deal with the Scottish National Party (SNP) after the next British election, dismissing the idea that such a pact could lead to a new independence referendum. Scottish first minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon last week said…
AROUND 20,000 disadvantaged students from schools, colleges and universities are set to travel all over the world for work and study as the Turing Scheme continued to deliver on the government’s commitment to levelling-up opportunity across the UK. Now entering its second year, 38,000 students -- learners and pupils in…
Seabird reserves in northeast England and Scotland have been closed to visitors after a suspected outbreak of bird flu, officials said on Friday. The decision to close the Farne Islands, a popular draw for tourists who come to see puffins close up, was made after several hundred seabirds died on…
Sama Blake is back with a brand new single called Touch. The song, accompanied by British-Asian singer and actress Rameet Sandhu, tells the story of a couple unknowingly falling in love. The man is hesitant to make a move fearing rejection. Together they created a music video to beautifully visualize…
R MADHAVAN TAKES ON HIS GREATEST FILM CHALLENGE What R Madhavan has done with this week’s big cinema release Rocketry: The Nambi Effect is perhaps the most remarkable challenge undertaken by any Indian actor. He has written, produced, directed, and played the demanding lead role in the big budget biopic,…
The latest data released Tuesday by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) showed the number of confirmed monkeypox cases in Britain has reached 1,076. According to UKHSA, up to June 26, 2022, there were 1,076 laboratory-confirmed cases in Britain. Of these, 27 were in Scotland, five in Northern Ireland, nine…
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced plans on Tuesday for a second referendum to be held on Scottish independence in October 2023. In a referendum in 2014, Scots voted 55%-45% to remain in the United Kingdom, but both Brexit and the British government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis have bolstered…
A UK government bill proposing an overhaul to a post-Brexit deal in Northern Ireland returns to parliament on Monday, despite EU warnings it is illegal and could spark a trade war. Brussels threatened legal action after the UK government earlier this month introduced the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill to unilaterally…
Prince Charles told Commonwealth leaders Friday that the choice to become a republic or abandon the queen as head of state was theirs alone, and expressed "personal sorrow" at Britain's legacy of slavery. The British heir to the throne addressed the opening of a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)…
Baroness Scotland of Asthal has won a second term as the secretary-general of the Commonwealth despite British prime minister Boris Johnson’s support for her challenger from Jamaica.Her re-election at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda on Friday came amid her allies’ allegation that the UK government was “sowing…
A 31-year-old man has been charged with the murder of his 89-year-old grandmother in south London, Scotland Yard said.Verushan Manoharan, 31, was charged by detectives investigating the murder of Sakunthala Francis in Croydon earlier this week.He was arrested at the scene a short time after Francis was found dead with…
Scottish MP Natalie Don has sought speedy legal pardons for all people executed over witchcraft under a historic law.The Scottish National Party politician said on Thursday that failures to administer justice posthumously to the victims of Witchcraft Act 1563 and thereby create awareness would “prolong misogyny”.Don, who spoke before the…
THE Indian High Commission in London on Tuesday (21) celebrated the eighth International Day of Yoga at BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden. Besides Indian high commissioner HE Gaitri Issar Kumar, Lord Rami Ranger and East Harrow member of parliament Bob Blackman addressed the gathering. Yoga enthusiasts from all over London…
Lerwick on the Shetland Islands is likely to get a mosque if a businessman’s application to convert his disused convenience store into a place of worship for Muslims gets approval from the local authority.If the plan fructifies, the structure in the main town of the Shetland archipelago in Scotland will…
ESTABLISHED more than 70 years ago, it has the stated aim of upholding democracy, rule of law and good governance around the world. Here are a few key things to know about it: Key facts Full name: Commonwealth of Nations Member states: 54 Head of the Commonwealth: Queen Elizabeth II…
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is believed to have charged prolific Scottish cricketer John Blain in its investigation into the allegations of racism surrounding Yorkshire County Cricket Club.The board had said last week that Yorkshire and a "number of individuals" were charged but had not named anyone.During his…
A married doctor in Scotland has been handed down a four-year jail term for raping a woman who he first met on a dating app.The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Manesh Gill, 39, posed as "Mike" on Tinder and arranged to meet her at a hotel in Stirling, where…
NETWORK Rail has urged passengers to plan ahead and travel only if necessary as there was 'no real hope' of avoiding the biggest railway strike in 30 years next week, according to a report. Network Rail confirmed that large parts of Great Britain will have no passenger services on strike days.…
A YouTube star said some of the beggars on London’s streets could be “secret millionaires” as they could earn “up to £35,000” a year despite living rough.Tọ́ba Courage, who runs the YouTube channel The Hack with some 854,000 subscribers, said some of the beggars he interacted with earned up to…
Commonwealth leaders have told Eastern Eye that the UK government is “hell bent on destroying the Commonwealth in pursuit of a colonial agenda”. This newspaper has previously reported on the campaign by Boris Johnson’s administration to oust the current boss of the organisation’s administrative arm, Patricia Scotland. But now her…
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson does not believe now is the time to be talking about another referendum on Scottish independence, his spokesman said on Tuesday.Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon earlier said she was nearly ready to give more details on how the nation's devolved parliament could move ahead with…
The EU threatened legal action against Britain after the UK government on Monday introduced legislation proposing a unilateral overhaul to the post-Brexit trade deal it signed for Northern Ireland."It is with significant concern that we take note of today's decision by the UK Government to table legislation," European Commission Vice…
FRONTLINE low-paid health and care workers who were branded heroes during the Covid-19 pandemic suffered racism, harassment and bullying, Britain’s top equality body has uncovered. According to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), *It may have underestimated the extent of the abuse because employers were not collecting relevant data.…
England reported a jump in Covid-19 cases for the first time since March, as the virus appears to be bouncing back after a months-long lull.According to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 797,500 people tested positive for the disease on June 2, accounting for 1.46 per cent of…
BRITAIN's biggest banks are no longer "too big to fail" in any future financial shocks, with shareholders rather than taxpayers ready to bear the cost, the Bank of England said Friday (10). Following a major review of eight lenders -- including Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and NatWest -- the BoE concluded…
PHARMACISTS and nurses in UK can issue sick notes starting from July 1 as part of a new law that wants to unclog the appointments crisis, a media report has said. With the change in law, patients will no longer need to see their family doctor and GPs will get…
The legal age of sale for cigarettes in England should be raised by one year every year until eventually no one can buy tobacco products, a government-commissioned review recommended on Thursday.Progressively increasing the minimum age from 18 was one of 15 interventions recommended in the review ordered by health minister…
MUSIC great A R Rahman has been named the ambassador of the British Council's 'India-UK Together Season of Culture', which aims to boost collaboration among emerging artists. The 'Season of Culture' marks the 75th anniversary of India's independence. It was officially launched on Tuesday (7) by Britain's deputy high commissioner…
Little more than two years after winning a landslide election victory, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a no-confidence vote among Conservative MPs following months of growing pressure. Here are key questions around the crisis confronting the UK leader: Where did it go wrong? Brexit cheerleader Johnson joined other Tory…
SCOTLAND YARD’S head of counter-terrorism policing, Neil Basu, said he was “disappointed” with the way the process for a new appointment which involved a promotion has been handled, and plans to seek an explanation from the Home Office, a UK media report has claimed. Basu, a Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner…
Horse-loving Queen Elizabeth was thanked for being "in the saddle" for 70 years as head of state at a service on Friday to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, an event she missed due to her "mobility issues". Other senior members of the royal family joined a congregation of politicians, charity figures…
CHEERS greeted Prince Harry and his wife Meghan outside St Paul's Cathedral on Friday (3) as they made their first public appearance in Britain for two years. But opinions were split among the throng of fans waiting at the London landmark to catch a glimpse of the royals, reflecting a…
Scotland captain Andy Robertson rued his side's limp display in Wednesday's World Cup playoff against Ukraine and apologised to fans after the defeat in Glasgow ended their hopes of a first appearance at the global soccer showpiece in 24 years. Goals from Andriy Yarmolenko, Roman Yaremchuk and Artem Dovbyk fired…
British-Asian political and business leaders have paid tribute to “their inspirational Queen” for her “selfless service” ahead of her platinum jubilee. The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, told Eastern Eye that he remembered being a child celebrating her majesty’s Silver Jubilee in 1977, and he was “so excited to get a…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson is reportedly set to announce a return to imperial measurements of pounds and ounces as a post-Brexit move away from the European metric system to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee this week. As part of a series of announcements to celebrate the 96-year-old monarch's 70…
Based out of Chicago, Illinois, Fahad Babar is one player that had managed to earn a reputation for his ability on the cricket pitch with Team USA once upon a time. He has not been seen for a while in regard to representing his country, however with the team looking…
The UK’s non-emergency medical helpline NHS 111 is flooded with phone calls from anxious people who have rashes, as the number of confirmed monkeypox cases in England has crossed 100.Mateo Prochazka of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said people could get local sexual health services instead of resorting to…
THE UK's health security agency (UKHSA) has procured more than 20,000 doses of a smallpox vaccine made by Bavarian Nordic as cases of monkeypox rise in Europe and beyond, it said. There are now 90 recorded cases in the UK, and eight additional cases have been detected in England, bringing…
SOUTH ASIAN men and women owe it to their families to get tested for cancer. That is the stark message from Britain’s top south Asian newsreader, George Alagiah. The BBC journalist, who was born in Sri Lanka, has lived with bowel cancer for nine years, and he told Eastern Eye…
A JUDGE jailed a disgraced MP from UK prime minister Boris Johnson's ruling Conservative party for 18 months on Monday (23) for sexually assaulting a teenage boy.The Tories expelled Imran Ahmad Khan, 48, and he resigned from his seat in parliament in the wake of his conviction after a trial…
A review by a doctors' union has revealed that the UK government failed to protect doctors and the wider healthcare staff at the start of the pandemic, according to a media report. The British Medical Association review said staff were desperately let down by the lack of protective equipment, the…
THE Queen’s platinum Jubilee, marking the longest reign in history, is a chance to reflect on how Britain has changed over the last seven decades. A more diverse Britain is a society of more faiths but is felt to be a less religious place too. The somewhat disunited Kingdom is…
A Met Police constable has been dismissed for failing to safeguard a woman who was later killed by her partner.Sandeep Khunkhun, attached to London’s North West Command Unit, was found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.The Scotland Yard…
THE chief constable of Police Scotland has said that the force should become "anti-racist", according to a report. Iain Livingstone's statement on racism and policing in Scotland was heard during opening statements at the public inquiry in Edinburgh into the death of Sheku Bayoh. Bayoh, 31, died in police custody…
An exhibition of paintings in ink titled 'Find Music in Art' by Preeti Rana will be on display from the 17th of May till the 20th of May at the Consulate General of India in Edinburgh, Scotland. An architect and published poet, Preeti Rana, is showcasing her latest art collection…
RISING student debt is severely affecting students across Britain, who are already struggling with a cost-of-living crisis. Britons heading to university next year face major changes that critics argue will worsen the financial pain. The pressure is "exhausting, especially for someone in their 20s who has just started thinking about…
QUEEN Elizabeth II will miss Tuesday's (10) ceremonial opening of Britain's parliament, as prime minister Boris Johnson tries to reinvigorate his faltering government by unveiling its plans for the coming year. The 96-year-old monarch, who usually presides over the pomp-filled event and reads out her government's legislative programme from a…
A UNITED NATIONS working group’s ruling on the “arbitrary detention” of a British Sikh man in India is expected to mount pressure on the UK government to do more to secure his release.Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton in Scotland, was arrested by plain-clothes officers in the north Indian state of…
QUEER BRITAIN, the UK's first LGBTQ+ museum, opened its doors in London this week, promising to bring the history and culture of the community to a wider audience. Housed in a 19th-century building in a redeveloped area behind King's Cross railway station, the museum has been four years in the…
PRIME Minister Boris Johnson was on Friday (6) left reflecting on a string of losses at local elections in England, in a mid-term test of his popularity after a string of scandals. Johnson conceded Thursday's (5) vote had produced a "mixed" set of results for his ruling Conservatives, including the…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party lost control of traditional strongholds in London and suffered losses elsewhere in local elections, early results on Friday (6) showed, as voters punished his government over a raft of scandals. Johnson's party was ousted in Wandsworth, a low-tax Conservative stronghold since 1978, part…
Local elections for councils and cities will be held in England, Scotland and Wales on Thursday, and polls for the devolved Northern Ireland Assembly in Belfast. Here are details about the voting and what's at stake: - When does voting take place? - Polls open at 0600 GMT on Thursday…
Polls opened across the UK on Thursday in local and regional elections that could prove historic in Northern Ireland and heap further pressure on embattled prime minister Boris Johnson. The contest for the devolved assembly in Belfast could see a pro-Irish nationalist party win for the first time in the…
VOTERS go to the polls in Britain on Thursday (5), in a mid-term test for the Conservative government that could determine beleaguered prime minister Boris Johnson's future.The local election results will be seen as a barometer of support for the Conservatives nationally, as well as an indicator of whether the…
IN 2019, Johnson upended conventional British politics by winning in both the traditional Conservative southern heartlands and more industrial areas in central and northern England. But his support has waned as the government grapples with a cost-of-living crisis and revelations about his conduct. Now many Conservative lawmakers are wondering if…
BRITAIN'S Serious Fraud Office has raided the offices of metals tycoon Sanjeev Gupta's UK operations of GFG Alliance, in a probe into its links with the collapsed financier Greensill.The raids come almost one year after the SFO launched an investigation into suspected fraud and money laundering by the Indian-British giant…
THE MINIMUM age for marriage in England and Wales has been raised from 16 to 18 years, making it illegal for anyone facilitating underage marriages.Under a bill cleared by the UK Parliament on Tuesday (26), religious or cultural marriages not registered with a couples' local council will also fall within…
OUTSPOKEN counterterrorism chief Neil Basu is believed to be in contention to head the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).The Indian-origin assistant commissioner of the Met Police is likely to be interviewed for the role of director-general of the NCA later this week.The post became vacant after Dame Lynne Owens stepped…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson arrived in India Thursday (21) touting job-creating investment but facing long odds to get his reluctant counterpart Narendra Modi to back Western action against Russia. Johnson arrived in Gujarat -- Modi's home state and the ancestral home to half of the United Kingdom's British Indians…
MOSCOW on Saturday (16) announced it was banning entry to UK prime minister Boris Johnson and several other top UK officials after London imposed sanctions on Russia over its military operation in Ukraine."This step was taken as a response to London's unbridled information and political campaign aimed at isolating Russia…
AN Indian-origin doctor practising in Scotland was on Thursday (14) found guilty of sex offences against 48 female patients over 35 years.Krishna Singh, 72, a general practitioner (GP), was accused of kissing, groping, giving inappropriate examinations and making sleazy comments, charges that he had denied during a trial at the…
BRITAIN has approved a new coronavirus vaccine by the Austrian-French drugmaker Valneva, the UK regulatory authority MHRA said on Thursday (14). "An approval has been granted after the Valneva Covid-19 vaccine was found to meet the required safety, quality and effectiveness standards," the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said…
GLASGOW will send seven ‘stolen’ artefacts back to India as city councillors have backed a proposal in this regard, according to a report. Officials from the High Commission of India lodged a request in January for the return of six artefacts “stolen” from Hindu temples and shrines in the 19th…
A POLICE officer has admitted to offences including voyeurism after he was caught filming a woman when she was trying on clothes in a London shop.Met Police constable Swaleh Chaudhry, 36, attached to the Met Police Taskforce has been suspended from duty following his arrest at South Side Shopping Centre,…
AT 16, Payzee Mahmod was coerced by her Iraqi-Kurdish family in London into marrying a man around twice her age.Two years later her elder sister Banaz, who had left a marriage she was forced into aged 17, was murdered by members of her family in a so-called honour killing.Laws in…
INDIA and Australia inked an interim free trade deal on Saturday (2) that cuts tariffs on billions of dollars of commerce as the two Quad partners bolster their economic ties. Both signatories are members of the Quad alliance with the US and Japan, which is seen as a counterweight to…
RATES of Covid infection have hit a record high in the UK, official data showed, just as free government testing ended for millions in England. Some 4.9 million people in the UK are estimated to have had Covid-19 in the week ending March 26, or 600,000 more than the previous…
CITIBANK has joined the list of foreign banks that have exited their retail banking business in India.The US-based lender announced the sale of its consumer banking portfolio to Axis Bank for an estimated Rs 123.25 billion (£1.24 bn).Global banking majors such as ANZ Grindlays, RBS, Commonwealth Bank of Australia have…
BRITAIN said that healthcare workers, social care staff and the most vulnerable will still get Covid-19 tests without any charge when it ends free testing for the general public next month. When he announced all coronavirus restrictions would be scrapped in February, prime minister Boris Johnson said free tests would…
THE Queen on Tuesday (29) made her first major public appearance in months, at a thanksgiving service for her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year aged 99. The monarch, who turns 96 next month, has not attended a high-profile event outside her homes since she spent a night…
DETECTIVES investigating the death of Yasmin Begum in East London have charged a man with murder.Quyum Miah, 40, of High Street, Homerton, who was arrested on Sunday (27) has also been charged with burglary and two counts of fraud by false representation, Met Police said in a statement on Monday…
CORONAVIRUS levels reached all-time highs in Scotland and Wales and are nearing record levels in England, with around 4.2 million people infected across the UK last week, official figures showed Friday (25).The steep rise in infections is due to Omicron BA.2, a more transmissible variant of Omicron, said the Office…
SCOTLAND YARD have arrested a Tunisian national on suspicion of the murder and assault of a British woman of Indian origin in her student accommodation in London.Sabita Thanwani, 19, was found with serious injuries to her neck at Arbour House student flats in the Clerkenwell area of London on Saturday…
NEW data has revealed that more than 1,000 police officers accused of domestic abuse are still in service, according to a media report. Eight out of 10 such officers kept their jobs after the allegations, with a small fraction being disciplined or dismissed, the Guardian reported. A series of freedom…
Britain has outlined the terms of reference of its planned inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic, looking into the preparedness of the country as well as the public health and economic response to the coronavirus. Meanwhile, England's Covid-19 prevalence rose to 1 in 25 in the week ending March 5, Britain's…
SHANE WARNE was not only one of the greatest cricketers ever to play the game but he can also probably be credited with saving the art of spin bowling in a sport that had become dominated by relentless pace. His extraordinary figures tell the first half of the story and…
INDIAN cricketers past and present from Virat Kohli to Sachin Tendulkar led tributes Friday (4) to Shane Warne after the Australian spin maestro died suddenly of a heart attack at 52. "Life is so fickle and unpredictable. I cannot process the passing of this great of our sport and also…
NHS and social care workers in England will no longer have to have a Covid jab as a condition of employment from later this month, the government said. The UK government announced on January 31 that it intended to revoke the regulations that made vaccination compulsory, subject to the results…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson on Monday said he would end all coronavirus restrictions in England including mandatory self-isolation for people with Covid-19 and free testing, drawing scepticism from some scientists and political opponents. Johnson's "living with Covid" plan has sparked alarm that it is premature and will leave the…
AROUND 155,000 British homes were still without power late on Saturday (19) after Storm Eunice knocked more than 1.3 million households off the grid the day before, energy companies said.The fierce Atlantic storm brought record winds of up to 122 mph (196 kph) to Britain, killing three people and causing…
STORM EUNICE battered Britain and Ireland on Friday (18) with record winds of up to 122 miles per hour, killing at least one person, knocking out power for tens of thousands and shredding the roof of London's O2 arena.The storm, which brewed in the central Atlantic and was spun up…
BRITAIN'S meteorological service issued its first-ever "danger to life" weather warning for London and the army was placed on standby as Storm Eunice made landfall on Friday (18).Hundreds of homes were reported to have been left without power in Cornwall, southwest England, which Eunice hit overnight, bringing gusts of 90…
BRITAIN’S annual inflation has hit the highest level since 1992, data showed on Wednesday (16), adding pressure to the cost of living and on the Bank of England to keep raising rates.The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) edged up to 5.5 per cent in January from 5.4 per cent in December,…
INDIA’S Supreme Court has given a “final opportunity” to fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya to appear before it personally or through his lawyer in a contempt case where he has been found guilty.Mallya, who is currently living in the UK, is accused of bank loan defaults of more than Rs 90…
THE dramatic resignation of the London Met Police chief has sparked a row between mayor Sadiq Khan and home secretary Priti Patel as Khan did not warn the Home Office or Queen he was going to get rid of the commissioner, according to a media report. The MailOnline reported that…
CRESSIDA DICK announced her resignation last night (10) after a string of scandals rocked London's Metropolitan Police, including racism, sexism and a serving officer murdering a young woman. Dame Cressida, who became the first woman to head the force in 2017, said she had "no choice but to step aside" after London…
PRINCE CHARLES has tested positive for COVID-19, his office said on Thursday (10), the second time he has contracted the disease. "This morning The Prince of Wales has tested positive for Covid-19 and is now self-isolating," Clarence House said, adding he had cancelled his planned engagements for later in the…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson will probably hold onto his job for now despite a scathing report about government coronavirus lockdown parties, but his long-term future is out of his hands as police probe claims of rule breaking, analysts said on Tuesday (1). Johnson on Monday (31) apologised after his…
BRITAIN plans to revoke its decision to make Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for health workers in England after warnings that an already-stretched service could face serious staff shortages. The NHS race and health observatory, which raised concerns last year that any mandatory Covid vaccination policy could be potentially discriminatory, welcomed the…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson on Monday (31) apologised after his government was criticised for "failures of leadership and judgment" in allowing lockdown-breaching parties at his offices. Johnson's position has been hanging by a thread because of the steady drip of revelations since late last year, but he has in…
A long-awaited report into claims of lockdown-breaking parties at British prime minister Boris Johnson's offices was published in part on Monday (31), criticising "failures of leadership" that allowed events to go ahead. Political and public anger at the revelations put Johnson's position as leader under threat, but senior civil servant…
NHS workers and staff who work on the frontline in England have been asked to get fully vaccinated by April 1 or will be redeployed or dismissed. However, on Monday (31) the ministers will be meeting to decide whether or not to scrap mandatory Covid jabs for NHS workers in…
ENGLAND on Thursday (27) lifted coronavirus restrictions imposed to tackle the Omicron variant, with masks no longer required in enclosed places and vaccine passports shelved. The number of positive Covid-19 cases has fallen sharply over the past two weeks, and although still at high levels, have plateaued in recent days.…
SCOTLAND’s first black professor has accused fellow academics of discrimination, the Guardian reported. Recently, an explosive row over Edinburgh’s links with slavery prompted calls for Sir Geoff Palmer to quit as chair of two groups re-examining the city’s history. Sir Geoff criticised the Edinburgh professors Jonathan Hearn and Sir Tom…
UK prime minister Boris Johnson has dismissed new allegations that his aides had tried to "blackmail" and threaten Conservative rebels, in a potentially criminal twist to Downing Street's "partygate" scandal. Senior Tory William Wragg disclosed the alleged intimidation campaign as Downing Street battles to shore up Johnson against calls from…
INDIA and Pakistan will lock horns in a blockbuster T20 World Cup group clash for the second year running after the fixtures for the October-November 2022 tournament in Australia were announced on Friday. The arch-rivals will lock horns at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on October 23, a day after…
THE UK government announced Wednesday (19) that restrictions reimposed in England last month to fight the surge in Omicron coronavirus cases would be lifted, citing data that showed infections had peaked. Guidance advising people to work from home was lifted immediately, while from the middle of next week they will…
A FORMER GP has revealed how he broke Covid restriction rules at the height of the pandemic to hug a woman at a vaccine clinic. Dr Prit Buttar, who is retired, chose to volunteer to administer Covid jabs and last week took to Twitter to share a tweet which went…
ANDY MURRAY battled to his first win at the Australian Open since 2017 with an epic five-set victory over 21st seed Nikoloz Basilashvili on Tuesday (18). The three-time Grand Slam champion, playing with a metal hip following career-saving surgery in 2019, wrestled with the Georgian for almost four hours before…
BRITAIN said Sunday (16) it hopes to lift its latest Covid restrictions for England later this month with the Omicron surge of infections apparently fading.Last month, England switched to "Plan B" restrictions, re-imposing guidance to work from home and a requirement for attendees to show vaccination passports on entry to…
Aaqil Ahmed should not have succeeded. Working class. A northerner. Brown. A Muslim. Definitely an outsider. Definitely a maverick. When you look at his 30-year career, which he celebrates this year, you know that sheer hard work, determination and bloody-mindedness – the south Asian way – were just some of…
THE BUSINESS value of the Lochaber-based Liberty Aluminium smelter acquired by GFG Alliance in 2016 has appreciated by a third since the takeover.GFG Alliance - led by metals tycoon Sanjeev Gupta - bought the smelter along with a nearby hydroelectric plant at Fort William for £330 million in a deal…
BRITAIN on Wednesday (5) reported record Covid-19 prevalence for the last week of 2021, with one in 15 people in England infected, as prime minister Boris Johnson said cases were increasing at the fastest rate ever. The increasing number of cases has put huge strains on public services such as…
CONGRATULATORY messages have continued to pour in for British Army captain Harpreet Chandi as she became the first woman of colour to cross Antarctica unsupported earlier this week. She has won accolades not only because of her courage, determination and endurance, but also because she achieved the feat earlier than expected. Initially, she…
THE UK government announced changes on Wednesday (5) to Covid travel rules for England, scrapping the need for visitors to have pre-departure tests and quarantine on arrival until they have tested negative. The new arrangements under which arrivals will be able to take a lateral flow in the first two…
A man responsible for allegedly staging an anti-vaccine protest outside health secretary's home, has been charged. In a video footage, posted online, shows someone delivering a letter with an anti-Covid vaccine message outside Sajid Javid's London address in Fulham. The man addresses the camera, claiming the letter puts the health…
HOSPITAL staff absences due to Covid have more than doubled in a month in England as the virus surge puts strain on beds, according to data published Friday (31). The number of hospital staff ill or self-isolating due to the virus rose from 11,375 on November 29 to 24,362 on…
By Nylah Salam Human rights campaigner and counter-terrorism commissioner Sara Khan, paediatric cardiology professor Shakeel Ahmed Qureshi, Leicester academic professor Kamlesh Khunti and actor Nitin Ganatra are among several British Asians who have been recognised in the New Year Honour’s List published tonight (31). Khan has been recognised with a…
England is building temporary hospitals to deal with a potential overspill of inpatients as surging virus cases put the country's health service on a "war footing", officials said Thursday. Fuelled by the highly contagious Omicron variant, daily cases have ballooned, standing at more than 183,000 on Wednesday. NHS England said…
ENGLAND is building temporary hospitals to deal with a potential overspill of inpatients as surging virus cases put the country's health service on a "war footing", officials said Thursday (30). Fuelled by the highly contagious Omicron variant, daily cases have ballooned, standing at more than 183,000 on Wednesday (29). NHS…
THE number of people in hospital with Covid in England topped 10,000 on Wednesday (29), the highest total since March, as UK case numbers hit a new record. According to updated government figures, there were 10,462 people in hospital with Covid in England on Wednesday morning, the highest level since…
BRITAIN reported a record 129,471 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday (28), a day after prime minister Boris Johnson said he would not bring in new restrictions this year to limit the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the virus. Johnson said on Monday (27) he would not…
THE BRITISH government has asked public sector managers to test their contingency plans against a worst-case scenario of 25 per cent staff absence as part of efforts to minimise disruption from the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. With daily infection numbers at a record high and people…
ENGLAND will not get any new Covid-19 restrictions before the end of 2021, health minister Sajid Javid said on Monday (27), as the government awaits more evidence on whether the health service can cope with high infection rates. Prime minister Boris Johnson continues to resist new measures, which would be…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson will examine crucial hospital data on Monday (27) before making any new announcement on Covid measures, media reports said. The Guardian reported that Johnson would “take stock” after being encouraged by improving data on Friday (24), a sign that No 10 is leaning away from…
THE UK government has announced it is extending a temporary visa scheme for foreign seasonal workers until the end of 2024, while it will gradually reduce the quota from 2023. The government on Friday (24) said it will next year offer 30,000 visas for workers to come to the UK…
BRITISH regulators on Wednesday (22) approved Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine for use in children aged five to 11, as the country reported more than 100,000 new daily cases for the first time as Omicron surged. The developments came after the government said it was cutting the isolation period required for positive…
TWO studies from Britain published Wednesday (22) showed Covid infections with Omicron are less likely to result in hospitalisation compared to the Delta variant, the latest research confirming a trend first identified in South Africa. The preliminary studies - one paper from Scotland and the other from England - were…
BRITAIN'S economy grew more slowly than previously thought in the July-September period, before the Omicron variant of the coronavirus posed a further threat to the recovery later in the year, official data showed on Wednesday (22). Gross domestic product in the world's fifth-biggest economy increased by 1.1 per cent in…
BRITAIN on Tuesday (21) launched a £1 billion support package for Covid-hit businesses, as staff absences from rising cases began to bite in the run-up to Christmas. Chancellor Rishi Sunak said some 200,000 firms would be eligible for one-off grants to offset losses from what is normally the busiest time…
BRITAIN reported record Covid-19 infections for the third consecutive day on Friday (17), with a rise to 93,045 new cases fuelled by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the virus. The government will hold an emergency committee meeting on Omicron at the weekend with the devolved administrations in…
MINISTERS have admitted that Nicola Sturgeon's government may have broken state aid rules in a deal to sell steelworks to Sanjeev Gupta, reported The Telegraph. There is growing scrutiny of the SNP's ties to the industrialist as he fights to keep his empire afloat, it was reported. The Scottish business…
BRITISH cabinet minister David Frost, who led Brexit negotiations, resigned from the government with immediate effect on Saturday (18), topping a torrid week for British prime minister Boris Johnson after a party rebellion on new coronavirus curbs and by-election humiliation. Frost, a trusted ally of the prime minister, sent his…
“Systemic and cultural barriers” stop progress of people of colour finds new report Senior BBC leaders in radio news have warned that the corporation will never hit the director-general’s 20 per cent target for people of colour to climb to the top their profession. Nina Robinson, an experienced former BBC…
BRITAIN on Friday (10) saw the highest number of Covid infections since January as the government seeks to slow the spread of the new variant. Communities secretary Michael Gove said the country faces a "deeply concerning situation" as the Omicron variant spreads rapidly, with case numbers doubling every two to three days in England.…
A senior emergency doctor has warned that NHS staff are dealing with the worst health crisis in 20 years. They are under so much pressure more health workers than ever are quitting front line medicine for other hospital jobs. Dr Joydeep Grover, a consultant who has worked in emergency medicine…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson has announced the tightening of virus restrictions in England as Omicron variant cases surge, including guidance to work from home and mandatory Covid passports. Johnson said at a briefing that the rate of Omicron cases was doubling every two to three days, risking a "big…
BRITAIN's health minister has said that there is now community transmission of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus across regions of England but it is too early to say if this will "knock us off our road to recovery". Defending the introduction of stricter rules to slow the spread of…
Bharat Pankhania discusses Omicron and what control measures may be needed Q: You have said previously that Omicron may not have come from South Africa. What did you mean by that? A: It’s very important to be aware that variants can arise from any part of the world. It’s just…
Former world No 1 Saina Nehwal will miss the World Championships for the first time in her international career due to multiple injuries that derailed her season. The London Olympics bronze-medallist, who has won a silver and bronze besides eight quarterfinal finishes in the World Championships over the years, is…
As a new variant hits Britain, infections’ expert warns of surge in pandemic deaths A leading infections’ expert has launched a scathing attack on the prime minister for not doing enough to protect lives after the discovery of a new Covid virus variant. The World Health Organization named the variant…
ALL adults in Britain will now be eligible for a third Covid jab, the government said, as concern mounted about the spread of the new Omicron variant. The move, backed by a scientific advisory body and health secretary Sajid Javid, comes as ministers scramble to react swiftly to the new…
THE SCOTLAND YARD on Sunday (28) issued a public appeal for information related to the murder of a British Sikh teenager, stabbed to death in a fight involving a group of people on a west London street. The Metropolitan Police officially named the victim as Rishmeet Singh, earlier named locally…
INDIA’S National Mission for Clean Ganga (NCMG) and the country’s high commission in London have unveiled a new India-UK collaboration effort as part of the Namami Gange river rejuvenation agenda with the launch of four new chapters in Britain. The Ganga Connect exhibition, which was touring the UK earlier this…
COUNCIL bosses have been trying to hire more school staff from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities to reflect Glasgow’s population better. A meeting heard there has been success in recruiting more diverse workers and efforts are being made to improve their chances of promotion. Most higher earning roles…
CRICKET SCOTLAND is "institutionally racist", Scotland's all-time highest wicket-taker Majid Haq has claimed. His former teammate Qasim Sheikh has also alleged the cricket body of racism during his career. Both the former players have called for an independent inquiry as the duo was treated differently to their teammates of the…
DERBY-BORN Captain Preet Chandi, nicknamed Polar Preet, is set to become the first woman of colour to do a solo unsupported trek to the South Pole. A physiotherapist by profession, the British Army officer flew to Chile on November 7 to begin her onward journey to Antarctica. Last week, she…
MPs have backed Tory MP Pauline Latham's Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) bill to raise the legal age of marriage to 18 to stop vulnerable children from being forced to wed, the BBC reported. In England and Wales, parental consent is needed for 16 and 17-year-olds. But there is…
I ATTENDED COP26 as the shadow business minister to meet businesses and representatives of other nations to discuss where we are making progress and what more needs to change. COP26 has been an important and historic event in Glasgow to “keep 1.5 alive” – the Paris Agreement ambition of limiting…
NO BRITISH ASIAN author in recent years has had as much success as Abir Mukherjee, who began in 2013 by submitting 5,000 words to a Daily Telegraph novel writing competition – and has just published his fifth detective thriller, The Shadows of Men. Mukherjee’s books, which have been translated into…
THE United States will co-host its first major cricket tournament in 2024 when it stages part of the men's T20 World Cup, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Tuesday (16). The baseball-loving country, which has never appeared at either a T20 or a 50-over World Cup, will host the…
CHINA and India will need to explain to developing nations why they pushed to water down language on efforts to phase out coal at the COP26 conference, the event's president Alok Sharma said on Sunday (14). UN climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland, ended on Saturday (13) with a deal that…
INDIA'S environment and climate minister, Bhupender Yadav, took aim at a draft deal at the United Nations climate summit on Saturday (13), saying he disagreed with the language on fossil fuel subsidies and that the draft lacked balance. In one of the strongest criticisms of the COP26 draft deal, Yadav…
He was the fresh-faced 15-year-old who stared down Shoaib Akhtar in the nets, became the highest-ranked T20 batsman in the world before being elevated to national hero after masterminding a rare Pakistan victory over India. In the breathless aftermath of that 10-wicket win over their fiercest rivals at the World…
Indian legend Kapil Dev accused the country's cricket players of prioritising the cash-rich Indian Premier League over national duty, after the pre-tournament favourites were dumped out of the T20 World Cup. "When the players prefer to play IPL over playing for the country, what can we say? I believe that…
FORMER Twenty20 World Cup champions India kept alive their slim chances of making the semifinals with an eight-wicket rout of Scotland in their Super 12 Group II match on Friday (5). Virat Kohli elected to field after winning his first toss of the tournament and the 2007 title holders bundled…
A Sikh police officer who shielded to protect his family during lockdown has died following a month-long battle with Covid in hospital, The Daily Mail reported. Met Police officer Amar Kalirai, 30, passed away on October 21 and showed 'no fear' during his five-year service, his colleagues revealed. He had spent his…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday (1) interacted with members of the diaspora in Scotland who gathered in Glasgow to honour him and also unveil a bust of him. Modi, who arrived in the Scottish city last Sunday (31) night to cheers from a group of diaspora delegates, met…
CLIMATE finance to fund technology innovations will be key to India delivering its goal of ‘net zero’ emissions by 2070, academics, policy experts, business leaders and politicians have said. They were speaking as they welcomed Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s announcement at the COP26 summit in Glasgow this week. India…
BRITAIN and India introduced a plan on Tuesday (2) to improve connections between the world's electricity power grids to accelerate the transition to greener energy. Linking the grids would allow parts of the world with excess renewable power to send it to areas with deficits. For instance, countries where the…
INTERMITTENT rain and winds led to a rare drop in pollution in India's capital last month, with residents breathing the cleanest air in at least four years, but authorities warn that air quality is set to drop sharply in November. A delayed end to the monsoon and a sharp pick-up…
A 15-year-old who cannot be named due to his age has been charged with the murder of an 18-year-old man after the victim was found stabbed to death on the street in east London. On Monday (1), the boy was due to be presented before the magistrates in Barkingside, Scotland…
BANGLADESH prime minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon major emitting countries to fulfil their obligations to support vulnerable nations in their efforts to cope with the effects of climate change. Addressing the Commonwealth and Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) leaders at the COP26 Summit in Glasgow on Monday (1), Hasina urged…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson on Sunday (31) urged world leaders attending the UN climate change conference in Glasgow to commit to cutting carbon emissions, warning efforts to halt runaway global warming will fail if they do not. "If Glasgow fails, then the whole thing fails," he told a news…
India captain Virat Kohli admitted his team was "not brave enough" after an eight-wicket rout by New Zealand left their Twenty20 World Cup hopes hanging by a thread on Sunday. Fast bowler Trent Boult and leg-spinner Ish Sodhi shared five wickets to restrict India to 110 for seven after being…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi was set to arrive in Glasgow, Scotland, on Sunday (31) for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). He will also hold bilateral talks with his British counterpart Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the climate summit. Modi will reach the UK from Italy where he…
By Pam Gosal MSP LIGHT overcoming the darkness is not something we Scots have the luxury of experiencing at this time of year; rather, we’re used to the darkness dominating our autumn days. The festival of Diwali however, which falls on November 4, celebrates the idea that light will eventually…
TEENAGE climate activist Greta Thunberg attended a small protest in London on Friday (29) against global banks' role in the fossil fuel industry, ahead of travelling to the upcoming COP26 summit in Scotland. The 18-year-old environmental icon joined a few dozen young protesters demanding banks stop financing polluting projects, such…
Asif Ali smashed four sixes in the penultimate over to help Pakistan achieve a hard-fought five-wicket win over Afghanistan in the Twenty20 World Cup in Dubai on Friday. With Pakistan needing 24 runs off the final two overs, Asif lifted paceman Karim Janat's first, third, fifth and sixth balls over…
Rashid Khan has pleaded with Afghanistan and Pakistan fans to behave when the two neighbours meet in the T20 World Cup on Friday (28) after a match in England two years ago was scarred by fighting and a pitch invasion. Afghanistan's star spinner Rashid played in that 50-over World Cup…
Pakistan's interim head coach Saqlain Mushtaq declared that his team have "the mindset of champions" as they play Afghanistan in the Twenty20 World Cup in Dubai on Friday. The 2009 champions thumped arch rivals India by 10 wickets in their opening match followed by a nervy five-wicket win over New…
INDIA on Wednesday (27) rejected calls to announce a net zero carbon emissions target and said it was more important for the world to lay out a pathway to reduce such emissions and avert a dangerous rise in global temperatures. India, the world's third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after China…
THE UK on Sunday (24) started a cheaper lateral flow test instead of a PCR for fully vaccinated passengers arriving from countries not on the red list. Passengers and most under 18s can use the test on or before day 2 of their arrival in England, a statement said. Bookings…
SCOTLAND thumped Twenty20 World Cup co-hosts Oman to storm into the tournament's Super 12 stage, along with Bangladesh who thrashed Papua New Guinea in Muscat on Thursday (21). Scotland's eight-wicket victory was their third win in three preliminary-round matches as Kyle Coetzer's side topped Group B ahead of the team…
SCOTLAND moved to the brink of reaching the Super 12 stage of the Twenty20 World Cup with a victory over Papua New Guinea on Tuesday (19), while Bangladesh kept their hopes alive with a convincing win over hosts Oman. Richie Berrington smashed 70 off 49 balls while Josh Davey took…
THE spread of Covid-19 among children in England is fuelling a recent rise in cases nationally and causing concern among some scientists that vaccines are being rolled out in schools too slowly, risking the welfare of children and adults alike. Covid-19 cases in Britain as a whole are much higher…
SCOTLAND stunned Bangladesh after a brilliant all-round performance from Chris Greaves helped to secure a thrilling six-run victory in a preliminary round match of the Twenty20 World Cup, which got underway in Muscat on Sunday (17). Kyle Coetzer's team recovered from a precarious 53 for 6 after a horror start…
BANGLADESH star Shakib Al Hasan on Sunday (17) became the leading wicket-taker in Twenty20 internationals with his second scalp against Scotland on day one of the World Cup. Shakib sent back Scotland's Michael Leask for nought with his left-arm spin in Muscat to surpass former Sri Lankan pace bowler Lasith…
THE attacker who fatally stabbed British lawmaker David Amess was referred to an official counter-terrorist scheme for those thought to be at risk of radicalisation, according to media reports. Police said late Saturday (16) that detectives had until Friday, October 22, to question the suspect after he was detained under…
A FORMER Scotland Yard officer has been handed an 11-month suspended prison sentence for harassing a number of colleagues, the Metropolitan Police said on Thursday (14). Ajay Singh, 24, was attached to the North Area Basic Command Unit of the Metropolitan Police in London and was sentenced at Woolwich Crown…
AN Asian hillwalking group which encourages people from ethnic minority backgrounds to explore nature has been featured in a new BBC documentary. Boots & Beards is the focus of an episode in the Our Lives series, which aired earlier this month on BBC One. Founded by Glasgow-based cousins Naveed Baksh…
SOME 86,000 jobs have been lost in the UK's nightlife sector since 2019, an industry body said on Monday (11), blaming coronavirus closures. The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) said the sector accounted for 1.6 per cent of GDP in 2019, the equivalent of £36.4 billion and employed 425,000. But…
WITH critical acclaim, nominations and awards, Kiran Millwood Hargrave has shown us quite comprehensively that she knows how to write an engrossing book for younger readers. But what has made her books extra special is that they have that cross-generational appeal to reach out to older readers and that is…
British prime minister Boris Johnson rallied his Conservative party faithful on Wednesday (6), vowing a far-reaching overhaul to wean the UK economy off cheap foreign labour after Brexit. Shrugging off panic buying at petrol stations, bare supermarket shelves and retailers' warnings of a bleak Christmas to come, the Tory leader…
BRITAIN'S home secretary Priti Patel on Tuesday (5) set out a series of crime-fighting measures, including stringent action on crimes against women, and tougher penalties for protesters disrupting highways. In her speech at the ongoing annual Conservative Party conference in Manchester, the senior Indian-origin politician also highlighted the progress of…
A former No 10 race adviser has said that Britain’s drug laws are racist and harms the mental health of black people. Simon Woolley said drugs legislation introduced 50 years ago had failed to cut the use, supply and harms associated with illegal drugs, reported The Guardian. Woolley also alleged…
ON SEPTEMBER 17, Sabina Nessa was murdered as she walked across Cator Park in Kidbrooke, South East London: the 28-year-old’s remains were found there the next day. Nessa’s murder is part of a familiar pattern: in the UK, a woman is killed by a man every three days. Indeed, 1,425…
Antigua’s prime minister urges leaders to unite against “triple threat” facing Commonwealth The prime minister of Antigua has warned Commonwealth countries not to “fall into the trap” of being pitted against one another, Eastern Eye can reveal. It follows a concerted campaign by the UK government to oust incumbent secretary-general,…
THIS week, a public consultation on a proposed law to legalise assisted dying in Scotland will be launched in the Scottish parliament. As presented, the law would allow terminally ill people to access medication to end their own lives. Two doctors would be required to confirm that all safeguards were…
BRITISH Indian brothers Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh have agreed to sell their whisky retail business to French alcohol major Pernod Ricard. The sale includes The Whisky Exchange, an online whisky store the siblings founded 22 years ago and three physical stores in London. Speciality Drinks, ABV Global and a whisky…
Cast member Lolita Chakrabarti says there is nothing 'Asian' about her role LOLITA CHAKRABARTI has spoken to Eastern Eye about her character, Lieutenant Commander Erin Branning, in the six-part BBC drama, Vigil, which tells of a police investigation after the suspicious death of a crew member on the nuclear submarine…
THE booster doses have been rolled out in England and with the first shot been given to an NHS staff. The booster jab will be given to the over 50s, health and care workers and younger adults with certain health conditions. Those eligible should receive a booster at least six…
PAKISTAN, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are among eight countries which will come out of the red list next week as the British government on Friday (17) relaxed pandemic restrictions on travel into England. The UK government overhauled its complicated "traffic light" watchlist with a simpler regime for fully vaccinated arrivals. …
PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson has carried out a major reshuffle of his government, replacing his foreign secretary and giving his former nemesis a key role. Here are winners and losers from a day of drama in Westminster: Liz Truss Truss, 46, had been earmarked for promotion after presiding over a…
THERE is, of course, a risk that some of the violent politics of Afghanistan will spill over on to the streets of Britain. Those refugees coming to Britain from Afghanistan will include people strongly opposed to the Taliban. If they set up opposition groups in Britain, supporters of the Taliban,…
ALL 12- to 15-year-olds in England will be offered a Covid-19 vaccine after top medical advisers said on Monday (13) that children would benefit from reduced disruption to their education. The British government confirmed that the offer would be extended to all children aged 12-15 after a unanimous recommendation by…
Presented by YouTube and Screen Scotland, the Edinburgh TV Awards are back for their 20th year and organizers have just announced the shortlist for the prestigious TV Awards. Winners will be announced digitally on October 21, 2021. Actress and singer-songwriter Anjana Vasan has been nominated for Best TV Actor (Comedy)…
BANGLADESH on Thursday (9) named all the players who completed a series win over New Zealand in their squad for next month's Twenty20 World Cup. Mahmudullah Riyad will lead the side that took a 3-1 lead in the New Zealand series on Wednesday (8) with one match still to play.…
A MAN from West Yorkshire has been charged with murder after his wife fell to her death at Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh. Kashif Anwar, 27, who appeared in Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday (6) was remanded in custody. He is expected to appear in court again within eight days. Fawziyah…
Senior Commonwealth sources have accused the UK government of “destroying the family because of a vendetta against the secretary-general”, Patricia Scotland. In exclusive interviews on the condition of anonymity, non-British Commonwealth insiders outside the UK have alleged that the UK government “has put pressure” on poorer and developing nations to…
SCOTLAND police arrested a man as part of their investigation into the death of a newlywed woman at Arthur's Seat in Edinburg. Fawziyah Javed fell from the landmark in the Scottish capital on late Thursday (2) evening and died at the scene, police said. “We received a report that a…
THE UK government's independent advisory body on vaccines has said that it would not recommend jabbing all 12- to 15-year-olds against coronavirus, arguing the benefits were "too small". The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), a panel of experts that advises ministers, has been weighing the issue after numerous…
Bangladesh batter Tamim Iqbal said on Wednesday he did not want to be in the national squad for the Twenty20 World Cup to give other players a chance. The 32-year-old opener said he had told the Bangladesh Cricket Board and chief selector Minhajul Abedin of his decision on Wednesday. "I…
SCOTLAND health secretary Humza Yousaf has claimed that Asians can be racist on “religious grounds”. Yousaf’s observation comes after allegations that a Dundee nursery refused admission for his two-year-old daughter, while it was apparently "more open" to children with white Scottish sounding names. Little Scholars Nursery in Broughty Ferry, which…
THE British government acknowledged that more can be done to help and assist Afghan nationals and their families settle in Britain as they escape from Afghanistan following its takeover by the Taliban. Britain earlier announced plans to welcome up to 5,000 Afghans fleeing the Taliban during the first year of…
THE government said on Saturday (28) it had told England's health service to get ready for a mass Covid-19 vaccination programme for children aged between 12 and 15 starting in September, if vaccination experts give the green light. A first vaccine dose has already been offered to all 16- and…
ONE of Britain's largest providers of care for people in their homes on Thursday (26) committed to training 500 Afghanistan refugees to work as carers. Cera, which currently employs over 6,000 staff across more than 70 offices in England, Scotland and Wales, hopes to recruit the refugees arriving under Britain's…
Hungarian football fans have been relying on the foci fogadások from the Mightytips, a site that provides reliable and trustworthy online sports betting predictions. Mightytips is not only into football, but it also covers other sports, and in this article, we explore the 2021 international Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup.…
McDonald's has stopped selling milkshakes and bottled drinks in most UK regions due to supply chain problems, the US fast-food giant has said. The company in a statement said that "like most retailers, we are currently experiencing some supply chain issues" and "bottled drinks and milkshakes are temporarily unavailable" at…
BRITAIN’S top counter-terrorism police officer has warned that Afghanistan will again become a base for exporting terrorism, and predicted lone-wolf attacks “probably within two years”. In an exclusive interview with Eastern Eye, assistant commissioner at the Metropolitan Police, Neil Basu, said the Taliban take-over in Afghanistan earlier this month will…
Kriti Sanon starrer Mimi started streaming on Netflix and Jio Cinema last month. The movie has received a great response, and apart from Kriti, child actor Jacob Smith has grabbed everyone’s attention with his performance in it. Jacob is a five-year-old British boy from Aberdeen who plays the role of…
SCOTLAND first minister Nicola Sturgeon has asked foreign secretary Dominic Raab to meet the family of Jagtar Singh Johal, a Scottish Sikh man from Dumbarton who is being held under anti-terror laws in India and imprisoned there for almost four years. Johal, who was held in the northern Indian state…
The UK government on Sunday (22) announced the rollout of a new nationwide antibody surveillance programme, which will make free home antibody tests available for up to 8,000 COVID-positive people a day. The UK Health Security Agency will offer these finger-prick tests to help improve the understanding of immunity against…
BANGLADESH have expressed confidence that opener Tamim Iqbal will recover fully from a knee injury in time for this year's Twenty20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in October and November. Tamim hurt his knee during the April-May tour of Sri Lanka and returned midway through the team's subsequent…
BRITAIN is set to offer Covid-19 antibody testing to the general public in the coming week for the first time, state media reports today (22) as a top expert has claimed that Covid anytime may "come roaring back" as long as it is not wiped completely from every part of…
A SENIOR solicitor advocate has accused Scottish health secretary Humza Yousaf of being selective in meeting families whose relatives died of the coronavirus. Professor Peter Watson said his invitation to Yousaf more than a month ago to meet the bereaved families he represented was turned down citing that the health…
HUMAN rights groups have urged the Scottish government to “halt” its police training programme in Sri Lanka until authorities in the Indian Ocean nation “demonstrate a genuine willingness to reform.” In a joint letter to Scottish justice secretary Keith Brown, Human Rights Watch, Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice,…
ARCH-RIVALS India and Pakistan will clash on October 24 at this year's Twenty20 World Cup, the International Cricket Council said on Tuesday (17) as the delayed tournament's fixtures were announced. The 16-nation tournament - to be held in the United Arab Emirates and Oman - will begin on October 17…
PEOPLE in England and Northern Ireland who have had two Covid vaccine doses need not have to isolate if they come into contact with someone who has tested positive. They no more have to quarantine for 10 days, but have been advised to take PCR test, which is also not…
SCOTLAND’S first minister Nicola Sturgeon is under a fresh scrutiny over her dealings with the steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta after he failed to set aside the pledged amount of £55 million for Britain’s last aluminium smelter, The Telegraph reported. In 2016, Gupta’s GFG Alliance had struck a taxpayer-backed deal with…
TO BOOST uptake among students, UK Universities are setting up their own vaccination centres as they want to make campuses as safe as possible for the autumn term, The Guardian reported. As millions of students arriving in September, some universities are already warning freshers to get fully vaccinated, the report…
POLICE Scotland has paused its training programme in Sri Lanka “for the time being” as the force’s activity in the south Asian country is being reviewed. Its engagement with Sri Lanka where it worked to develop community policing has been halted since May, months after reports that it renewed its…
SENIOR Scottish lawyer Aamer Anwar is set to appear before a disciplinary body next month over the allegations of professional misconduct. The case is related to the wording of a former firm’s terms of business and the Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal will decide whether it constituted professional misconduct. According to…
THE COP26 climate summit talks in Glasgow in November are the last chance for the world to get a grip on climate change, Alok Sharma, the British minister in charge of the conference, has said. Sharma also defended his recent travels, after he was criticised for being exempt from Covid-19…
INDIA ranked 122nd on a new Global Youth Development Index that measures the condition of young people across 181 countries. "The top five risers from 2010 to 2018 were Afghanistan, India, Russia, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso,” says the ‘2020 Global Youth Development Index' released by the Commonwealth Secretariat in London…
SCOTLAND health secretary Humza Yousaf and his wife have commenced legal action against a Dundee nursery which “discriminated” against their two-year-old daughter. Yousaf and Nadia El-Nakla went public last week claiming that Little Scholars in Broughty Ferry refused a place for Amal twice, but alleged it responded positively when enquiries…
A FEMALE police officer, hailed as a hero for tackling anti-lockdown protesters last year, is under investigation for allegedly posting a series of racist tweets. Ruby Begum mocked the 9/11 terror attacks and called for a retribution for Israel during its conflict with Palestine in 2014. “Must be stupid if you…
Survey shows violent incidents in shops increased during the pandemic TOUGHER laws are needed to tackle rising levels of abuse and violence against shop workers, according to business owners and retail chiefs. Around 85.5 per cent of employees surveyed said they suffered verbal abuse in 2020, with 56.8 per cent…
SCOTTISH COMEDIAN DISCUSSES HER NEW ONE-WOMAN PLAY THE Edinburgh Festival Fringe returns from August 6-30 with another actionpacked line-up of shows and great multicultural talent from diverse disciplines. The largest arts festival in the world will also give many performers a chance to get back in front of an audience after…
DRUG-related deaths in England and Wales have risen to their highest level in more than 25 years, say recent government figures released on Tuesday (3), which also stated that cocaine-related deaths among women have spiked by more than 800 per cent. Men and teenage boys accounted for more than two-thirds…
SOME of the world's major financial companies and institutions are working on a plan to speed-up the closure of coal-fired power plants in Asia to reduce carbon emissions. The initiative driven by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and developed by the British insurer Prudential, is also being followed by key…
ABOUT 1.4 million teenagers, aged 16 and 17, in England will soon be offered Covid-19 vaccines, as per media reports on Wednesday (4), which claimed that Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) will update the advice “imminently”. It is not yet known when the jabs will start though…
SCOTLAND health secretary Humza Yousaf’s wife Nadia El-Nakla said he received a volley of abuse and threats after the couple went public about a Dundee nursery refusing a place for their daughter. She said the “sickening” abuse her family received on social media only showed Scotland’s “underbelly of racism” which…
CHANCELLOR Rishi Sunak has urged Britons to go back to the office as he warned home working may harm careers, reports said on Tuesday (3), amid claims that people are still being cautious over returning to offices despite the end of all restrictions on July 19. Speaking during an…
SCOTLAND health secretary Humza Yousaf has accused a nursery in Dundee of refusing a space for his two-year-old daughter and approached watchdogs seeking an explanation on whether there was a discrimination on the basis of ethnicity or religion. After Little Scholars Nursery in Broughty Ferry rejected the application of Yousaf’s…
MORE than one in three middle-aged British adults are suffering from at least two chronic health conditions, including recurrent back problems, poor mental health, high blood pressure, diabetes and high-risk drinking, stated a long-running study on Wednesday (28). About 34 per cent of middle-aged people in the UK…
A 12-year-old girl, who had been missing since Thursday afternoon, has been found safe and well, police have confirmed on Monday (26). A search was launched for Mannat Mann, from Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, after she went missing on Thursday (22). She was last seen near Wanstead Park…
TRIBUTES are pouring in for the woman, her son and a family friend, who died in Loch Lomond on Saturday (24). Waris Ali, who lost his family and a good friend, revealed how he tried in vain to save his drowning wife. Edina Olahova, 29, and Rana Haris Ali,…
THE UK launched an innovation strategy on Thursday (22) with annual public investment in R&D to a record £22 billion to put the country at the front of the global innovation. The new strategy unveiled by business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng aims to boost private sector investment in R&D and to…
Nurses and other medics unions have slammed the UK government's three per cent pay rise offer to National Health Services (NHS), calling it “grossly inadequate” and “paltry”. The pay rise, announced on Wednesday (21) evening, is three times higher than the government's initial one per cent offer, though nurses…
HEALTHCARE workers, pharmacists, faith leaders, restaurateurs and retailers have expressed concern over rising Covid-19 infection rates, as experts predicted the UK will soon have more new cases each day than it did at the height of a second wave of the pandemic earlier this year. Laws requiring masks to be…
US envoy John Kerry on Tuesday (20) said that the world cannot wait for the Covid-19 pandemic to end before dealing with climate change. He stressed how "pivotal" this year's UN climate conference was to press ahead with action. Addressing an audience at London's Royal Botanic Gardens, Kerry said nations must…
THE government on Monday (19) lifted Covid restrictions on daily life in England, scrapping all social distancing in a step slammed by scientists and opposition parties as a dangerous leap into the unknown. From Sunday midnight, nightclubs were able to reopen and other indoor venues allowed to run at full…
THE kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard in London on March 3 this year has been a landmark tragedy, similar in some ways to the fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old medical student in Delhi on December 16, 2012. Both cases triggered national vigils by women and demands for safer…
HOSTS India were placed in the same group as arch-rivals Pakistan on Friday (16) in the Super 12 stage of the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in the United Arab Emirates and Oman later this year. The arch-rivals, who play each other only in International Cricket Council (ICC) events,…
TWO-THIRDS of UK adults have now been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, the government said on Wednesday (14), arguing that the breakthrough justified its contentious move to drop most pandemic curbs next week. A total of 35,155,767 second doses have now been administered since the Western world's first mass vaccination…
“Mixed messaging” has been coming from the UK government over the use of masks and social distancing as the country is headed towards its Freedom Day on July 19, as per media reports. While UK prime minister Boris Johnson on Sunday (11) urged Britons to remain “cautious”, vaccine minister Nadhim…
THE UK government is confident that plans to lift a range of Covid-19 restrictions will go ahead on July 19 in England but mask-wearing in indoor enclosed places will be expected, vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi said on Sunday (11). Prime minister Boris Johnson detailed proposals earlier this week to eliminate…
LONDON'S Heathrow airport said on Wednesday (6) it plans to offer fast-track lanes for fully-vaccinated arriving passengers, as the UK government winds down its pandemic curbs. The government is expected on Thursday (8) to announce that travellers coming to England from "amber" countries - the middle ranking for Covid incidence,…
LABOUR MP Kim Johnson has accused the Metropolitan police of institutional racism after she and her family were stopped by officers in central London last month, reported The Guardian. The MP said they had arrived in Covent Garden near the end of the England v Scotland Euro 2020 match when…
BRITISH prime minister will on Monday (5) unveil a plan to lift coronavirus restrictions from July 19, while urging the population to "learn to live with" the virus. Johnson had initially aimed for a full reopening on June 21 but was forced to push back the date because of a…
ENGLAND is all set to go mask-free as latest media reports claim that wearing face masks will become a matter-of-choice everywhere – including on public transport- under a raft of measures that are set to come into force from July 19 which will “make Britain the most open country in…
A new immigration route opened on Thursday (1), allowing international graduates to kick-start their careers in the UK after they have finished their studies at a UK university. The Graduate route provides an opportunity to talented international graduates who have been awarded their degree from a UK university to stay…
MUSLIMS feel Islamophobia is on the rise in Scotland and it is more serious in Glasgow than in the rest of the country, according to a survey. An inquiry by the Cross-Party Group on Tackling Islamophobia reveals that the abuse of Muslims is a “regular issue” in Scottish society. It…
THE Edinburgh International Festival has been urged to withdraw a play because of alleged sacrilege, where it shows rebirth of hindu gods as Dundee wideboys. Rajan Zed, founder of the Nevada-based Universal Society of Hinduism, said that Hindu Times has trivialised the deities Brahma, Vishnu and Lakshmi. In a report…
THE Twenty20 World Cup will be staged in the United Arab Emirates and Oman from October 17 to November 14 due to the coronavirus situation in India, the cricket's world body said on Tuesday (29). "Our priority is to deliver the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 safely, in full…
SOCIAL MEDIA has branded them as 'pettiest neighbours ever' after retired Irene and Graham Lee chopped their neighbour's fir tree in half in a boundary row. The elderly neighbours chopped the 15ft fir tree outside their home in a south Yorkshire suburb last week and said they would "do it…
THE UK government accepted a collection of 18th-century art from the estate of Tilda Swinton’s father in lieu of £2,267,370 owed in inheritance tax, The Times reported. This follows the death of actress’s father, major-general Sir John Swinton, in 2018. As per government rules, such debt can be written off…
A muslim businesswoman has been spared jail after she stalked and threatened to kill her son and also held a kitchen knife to her own throat when she found that he was seeing a 'white girl'. Naveed Raza, 52, from Livingston in West Lothian, Scotland, stalked her pharmacist son Mohsin…
INTERNATIONALLY renowned spiritual leader H.H Shree Raj Rajeshwar Guruji during his visit to Leicester had a meeting with chief inspector Kam Mistry of the Leicestershire Police. Shree Raj Rajeshwar Guruji as part of his mission to build better engagement between the Hindu/Indian faith community and Police, will continue to meet…
THE health secretary of Scotland has been urged to reveal the full details of a deal between the health watchdog and the government. Humza Yousaf is facing the demand after it was revealed the watchdog's duties include shielding ministers from criticism, reported The Times. In a letter to Yousaf, Jackie…
THE former highest-ranking Asian female police in the Metropolitan Police has claimed the force is still institutionally racist, recalling her experiences of discrimination as recently as 2019. Chief superintendent Parm Sandhu was the most senior BAME woman in the capital’s police force, prior to her retirement two years ago. She…
FOOTBALL fans have a right to boo and jeer the England team for taking the knee in protest of racism, home secretary Priti Patel said on Monday (14). Speaking with GB News, Patel said that the anti-racism protest associated with the Black Lives Matter movement has now amounted to “gesture…
RAHEEM STERLING'S 61st-minute goal gave England a 1-0 win over Croatia at Wembley on Sunday (13) as they began a European Championship with a victory for the first time in nine attempts. Sterling, something of a surprise starter after a flat end to the domestic season but a favourite of…
BRITAIN'S vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said that the country was on track to offer all those aged over 50 a second dose of a vaccine by June 21. "We are on track for offering all over 50s who have had the first jab their second jab by the 21st," Zahawi…
MIDFIELDER Jordan Henderson said England will continue taking a knee during the upcoming European Championship. Henderson said fans who booed the players for taking a knee before matches have proved that racism is still an issue. A small section of the crowd at the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough booed when…
PAKISTAN pacer Hasan Ali, Sri Lankan spinner Praveen Jayawickrama and Bangladesh wicket-keeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim were on Tuesday (8) nominated for the ICC men's Player of the Month award for May. Kathryn Bryce of Scotland and the Irish duo of Gaby Lewis and Leah Paul were nominated for the Women's…
THE principal of Dundee University has formally apologised after a report into racism found “prominent concerns” over discrimination. Professor Iain Gillespie said sorry for the bigotry faced by the black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) community in a video released on Monday (7). He said he was apologising “on behalf…
BRITAIN should delay the June 21 reopening date by a few weeks in light of rising Covid-19 cases across the UK and also start vaccinating over-12s, the chair of Independent SAGE, Sir David King, has said. He warned that the latest numbers are “evidence of another wave appearing”. “It will…
THE NHS has denied extra Covid-19 jabs to Blackburn with Darwen borough for surge vaccination, a media report claims, as “more transmissible” Delta variant cases continue to rise rapidly in the area. Despite witnessing the highest infection rate, Blackburn’s repeated pleas to continue surge vaccination have been turned down…
SCOTLAND'S health secretary said he regrets for causing "undue alarm" by saying there is a rise in hospital admission of children with Covid-19. Humza Yousaf said on Wednesday (3) that ten children up to the age of nine had been admitted to hospital last week “because of Covid”. John Swinney,…
ENGLAND manager Gareth Southgate named four right backs including Trent Alexander-Arnold in his final 26-man squad for the European championship on Tuesday (1) after dropping in-form attacking midfielder Jesse Lingard and five other players. Defenders Ben Godfrey and Ben White, goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, forward Ollie Watkins and midfielder James Ward-Prowse…
SENIOR Tory MPs are urging prime minister Boris Johnson to lift restrictions as planned this month while Scotland opts for a slower pace of reopening. Senior MPs have reportedly urged the UK prime minister to “get on with” relaxing restrictions on June 21 after Scotland’s first minister Nicola…
UNIVERSITY students in England have proposed an offer to accept higher interest rates on their loans in exchange for an immediate £2,700 discount on their tuition fees. This is an offer being made my students to compensate for the disruption to their education caused by the coronavirus pandemic. A group…
PRINCE William and his wife, Catherine, tried their hands at making chapatis and serving curry as they joined a Sikh community group preparing meals for vulnerable people in Edinburgh on Monday (24). The royal couple, who are visiting Scotland, was guided by women from the Sikh Sanjog group as they…
INDIA has agreed to play more games on its tour of Sri Lanka in July to help overcome the national board's financial losses from the coronavirus, a top official said Thursday (20). Sri Lanka will also ask other visiting teams to play extra games to boost television revenues, said Shammi…
THE HOME Office is going ahead with the deportation of the two overstaying Indian migrants despite them being released from a police van in Glasgow during a highly-publicized protest last week. The Home Office sources have recently said that the protest has only delayed the inevitable removal of the two…
THE justice secretary has said that parliament may have to take action if clubs are failing to deal behaviour of fans, also suggesting for the need of an independent regulator. Following the violence from Rangers fans in Glasgow city centre, Humza Yousaf said strict liability for football clubs is “on…
APPOINTMENT of a transgender woman as the head of a rape crisis centre in Scotland has triggered a debate on inclusiveness. Mridul Wadhwa, a former Holyrood SNP candidate, has been recently made chief executive of Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre (ERCC). However, the appointment is not taken well by some feminists…
REFOCUSING attention on his “leveling up” plans, prime minister Boris Johnson has announced a series of urban renewal projects worth 830 million pounds in towns and cities away from London. "As the country gets back on its feet, the government has renewed its commitment to leveling up and tackling the…
THE daily coronavirus cases in Britain have seen a dip by 16 per cent in a week. According to the official record as of Monday (17) there were 1,979 new infections in the past 24 hours. While the mortality rate remained the same as last week, a further five fatalities…
THE INDIAN variant does spread more easily, but early data suggests vaccines still work. Britain’s health minister Matt Hancock told MPs that 2,323 cases of the B.1.617.2 variant have been confirmed in the country with 483 of those in Bolton and Blackburn. There are now 86 local authorities with five…
DESPITE concerns over the spread of a more infectious Covid-19 variant, most of the UK took a step towards normality on Monday (17) with lockdown restrictions being eased. Across England, Wales and most of Scotland, full indoor hospitality in pubs, restaurants and cafes returned, and cinemas, theatres and sports venues…
A NEW study has revealed that voting pattern of British Indians in 2021 has now been shifted towards the Conversative Party from Labour in 2019. The study by the 1928 Institute, a University of Oxford backed think-tank, also said that only 8 per cent of British Indians feel accurately represented…
Britain is confident that existing vaccines will provide protection from a more transmissible Indian coronavirus variant now spreading across the country, heath secretary Matt Hancock said on Sunday. And hours later, he was able to announce that the country had passed the milestone of 20 million adults vaccinated with two…
Anum Qaisar-Javed, 28, has become Scotland’s second female Muslim MP after she held the Westminster seat of Airdrie and Shotts for the Scottish National party (SNP). A modern studies teacher, Qaisar-Javed's victory has brought the number of SNP MPs in the Commons back to 45, reported The Guardian. The byelection…
THE UK government has defended an immigration raid that inflamed tensions in Glasgow's Muslim community at the start of Eid al-Fitr on Friday (14). The government clarified that there was no connection to the Islamic festival. Thursday's deportation raid targeted a property housing two illegal immigrants from India, who were…
A leadership hopeful for one of Britain’s biggest unions has been reportedly suspended by Labour after suggesting Priti Patel was ‘disgusting’ and should be deported. It has been learnt that Howard Beckett has apologised for his comment and said it was "never meant to be literal". Beckett, a Unite leadership…
AN analysis by government agency Public Health England (PHE) on Friday (14) revealed that the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines in England has prevented nearly 12,000 deaths and more than 30,000 hospitalisations in older people. Britain has given two-thirds of its adult population at least one shot of Covid-19 vaccine, helping…
By Sunder Katwala ‘CARRY on governing’ seemed to be the key message of the ‘Super Thursday’ elections across the UK last week. That this did not seem a ‘time for a change’ was the common thread linking the renewed mandate to govern of Nicola Sturgeon’s Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP)…
By Seema Malhotra MP THIS week saw a very mixed set of results in the elections, with positive news in different areas for the main parties. There was a strong draw towards the incumbent, whoever that may be. In London, we saw Labour’s Sadiq Khan elected with a historic…
AROUND 200 protesters in a largely Muslim part of Scotland's biggest city demonstrated as immigration officials raided a property on Thursday (13), the start of the festival of Eid al-Fitr. The raid occurred in the Glasgow constituency of Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who said she was "deeply concerned by…
THE prevalence of coronavirus infections in England has halved since March helped by the swift rollout of vaccines, but new variants remain a threat, according to the findings of a closely watched survey released on Thursday (13). British prime minister Boris Johnson on Monday (10) gave green light to hugging…
Johnson announces Covid-19 public inquiry Public inquiry to begin spring 2022 Britain has world's fifth highest death toll Opponents say inquiry must win public confidence UK prime minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday (12) announced an inquiry next year into the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic that is likely to focus…
BRITAIN's economy began to recover strongly at the end of the first quarter despite lockdown restrictions, official data revealed on Wednesday (12). Gross domestic product jumped 2.1 per cent in March, the Office for National Statistics said, although by not enough for the UK economy to avoid contracting overall in…
UK's vaccine programme received a shot in the arm as England reported zero deaths due to Covid-19, according to its latest daily update. Since the pandemic broke out in March last year, Sunday (9) was the first day that had no deaths from Covid-19. More than 112,000 people have died…
The 2021 Scottish Parliament election has witnessed the victory of some ethnic minorities, elected as the Member of Scottish Parliament. Read about them below: FOYSOL CHOUDHURY: First Bangladeshi origin to mark presence in Scottish Parliament Scottish Labour’s Foysol Choudhury becomes the first ethnic minority MSP in the Lothians. He is a…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson will set out on Monday (10) the next phase of lockdown easing in England. The green light would then allow pubs to serve customers pints inside after months of strict measures. Aided by one of the fastest vaccine rollouts in the world, Britain's daily case…
THE Scottish National Party hoped a second day of vote-counting Saturday (8) would bring it a slim majority in the devolved parliament while prime minister Boris Johnson decried its plan for an independence referendum. The UK voted in a series of local and regional polls on "Super Thursday" in its…
BRITAIN’s third largest steel business may avoid collapse as owner Sanjeev Gupta is close to securing a £200 million loan from a private firm. Gupta, who is currently in Dubai, has agreed on financing terms for Liberty Steel UK with White Oak Global Advisers, which is also providing fresh funding…
By Kathryn Anderson DEPUTY first minister John Swinney has held his Perthshire North seat with a majority of 4053 votes. The Perthshire North MSP now becomes Scotland’s longest serving parliamentarian following the retirement of Roseanna Cunningham. He said representing the people of Perthshire North was the “privilege of my life”.…
Prime minister Boris Johnson's Conservatives scored a stunning election victory in a Labour stronghold on Friday, after Britain held its first major ballot box test since Brexit and the coronavirus crisis. The "Super Thursday" regional and local elections could reshape the UK as pro-independence forces in Scotland, where voting for…
CAMPAIGNERS want a ban on under-18s marrying in England and Wales as they claim it contributes to sexual violence and domestic abuse. In a letter to prime minister Boris Johnson, charities have warned of the "invisible but thriving issue" of marriage by parental consent in the UK. The 16 and…
THREE new educational awards/scholarships were launched in Scotland in the name of Saroj Lal, a prominent Scottish race relations activist, to promote equality/diversity across education. Lal, a former director of the Lothian Racial Equality Council, passed away on March 12,2020. She was involved with race relations in Scotland since the…
by LAUREN CODLING SCOTTISH Labour leader Anas Sarwar has revealed that racist abuse targeting him has increased since he was elected head of his party, but said he no longer pays attention to it. In an exclusive interview on Monday (26) with Eastern Eye, the Asian politician also said that…
ONE of the youngest music stars to have emerged during lockdown is a 13-year-old Scottish DJ named Beats By Jay. Real name Jay Singh, the talented teenager, who was born and raised in Glasgow, has been delighting online audiences with his dynamite DJing skills on explosive musical sets. “I was…
By Dr Irfan Malik GROWING up in the Meadows area of Nottingham, we were told stories about our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. I was aware they were soldiers and had descended from a celebrated military village. My parents arrived in the UK from Pakistan in the early 1960s. My father…
The UK government has cleared the extradition of jeweller Nirav Modi to India. Home secretary Priti Patel approved the extradition of the diamond merchant who is accused of bank fraud in India. Modi is being investigated by India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for money…
GLEN KAMARA'S lawyer said on Thursday (15) that Police Scotland is seeking to prosecute Slavia Prague defender Ondrej Kudela for racially abusing the Rangers midfielder in a Europa League match last month. Europe's football governing body UEFA on Wednesday (14) banned Kudela for 10 games after Kamara complained of being…
As tributes pour in for Prince Philip, we reveal his legacy on British Asians By Barnie Choudhury Prince Philip crossed generational divides and helped south Asians to transform Britain, according to politicians, business, global and Commonwealth leaders. They also told Eastern Eye that the duke was wrongly characterised as racist,…
IN a "major step" towards freedom from the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic, Britain has allowed its shops including hairdressers, gyms and pub gardens to reopen on Monday (12). Pubs and restaurants will only be able to serve outdoors, although early rules requiring meals to be served with drinks and…
HERE are 10 key dates in the life of Britain's Prince Philip, who died Friday (9) at age 99: Birth June 10, 1921: Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark is born on a kitchen table in Corfu. Aged 18 months, he was spirited out of Greece in an orange box…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson paid tribute to Prince Philip, who died on Friday (9), saying the country would mourn with the royal family and Queen Elizabeth, who had lost her 'strength and stay of more than 70 years'. "We remember the duke ... above all for his steadfast support for Her Majesty…
RANGERS midfielder Glen Kamara said he has been subjected to online racial abuse every day since his confrontation with Slavia Prague's Ondrej Kudela in the Europa League last month. Kamara complained of being racially abused by Kudela in their last-16 match, with the incident sparking a furious response from his…
After last year’s exposé, we challenge the judiciary to prove it is not institutionally racist By Barnie Choudhury The judiciary is 20 years behind the Met Police in accepting it is institutionally racist. That is the damning accusation from named and anonymous south Asian, black and white judges. In a…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson said on Monday (5) everyone in England will be able to take a Covid-19 test twice a week in a new drive to track the pandemic as society reopens and the vaccine rollout continues at its rapid rate. Johnson, who is expected to confirm plans…
UK got its fifth biggest ever National Lottery winner, when a ticket-holder on Friday (2) won £122m EuroMillions jackpot. The full amount being £122,550,350.80, will put the lucky winner onto the top 1,000 on the Sunday Times rich list 2020. It is the second UK EuroMillions jackpot winner this year,…
By Nadeem Badshah LEADING doctors, academics and student groups are divided on whether overseas students in the UK should be a priority group for Covid-19 vaccines. Some teachers have backed the move for both home and international undergraduates, with data showing that 17.8 per cent of university students between…
By Amit Roy NAGA MUNCHETTY, who giggled and said, “Always a flag”, when her BBC Breakfast co-presenter, Charlie Stayt, poked fun at the size of the Union flag in Robert Jenrick’s office when they were interviewing the housing and communities secretary, can claim credit for changing government policy. The Union…
BRITONS are now much less worried about the coronavirus pandemic than they were a month ago with an aggressive vaccination programme in place, according to an opinion poll. However, it still remained the single biggest concern, with the proportion of respondents dropping to 49 per cent from 72 per cent…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson said on Monday (29) he hoped that England would not need to go into another lockdown if the public obey the rules and coronavirus vaccines continue to be effective. People in England rushed outside Monday to enjoy sports, picnics and other previously prohibited activities, as…
DOCTORS from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds say key risk assessments have still not taken place, or have not been acted on. Of 2,000 doctors who responded to the BBC News poll, 328 said their risks hadn't been assessed at all, while 519 said they had had a…
BRITAIN prime minister Boris Johnson said the government will do everything to save jobs at Sanjeev Gupta's Liberty Steel, which is struggling after the collapse of Greensill Capital. The steelmaker's future is in doubt after the collapse of Greensill, the major financial provider to Gupta’s GFG Alliance, which owns Liberty.…
DETECTIVES from the Metropolitan Police investigating the fatal stabbing last week of 18-year-old Hussain Chaudhry in Walthamstow, have charged a man with murder yesterday (21) and arrested another two 18-year-olds on Monday (22). Marvin Ward, 18, of Westwood Road, Ilford, is scheduled to appear at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on Monday…
SHADOW business secretary Ed Miliband has said that the UK government should consider nationalising Liberty Steel if necessary to save thousands of jobs. He added that the government 'cannot afford' to let Liberty Steel collapse. "The government needed to explore every option to keep the company afloat, including nationalisation," Miliband…
By Amit Roy THE Sarah Everard case is doing untold damage to the reputation of the Metropolitan Police. There is the obvious point that it is a police officer, Wayne Couzens, 48, a member of Scotland Yard’s armed parliamentary and diplomatic protection command, who has been charged with the kidnap…
INDIAN-BRITISH billionaire Sanjeev Gupta-owned steelmaker GFG Alliance on Monday (15) said it will pause some UK activities to preserve cash following the collapse of corporate finance firm Greensill. Gupta's sprawling steel empire, which had been Greensill's biggest customer, has 35,000 staff worldwide, including 5,000 in Britain where its Liberty Steel division…
By Amit Roy THE Scottish economist and moral philosopher, Adam Smith, author of the classic The Wealth of Nations, is a particular hero of mine. Indeed, on a visit to Edinburgh in 2014, I made a special point of paying homage to his imposing 10ft bronze statue which stands on…
Scotland Yard on Monday (8) issued a new appeal for information in connection with the killing of an Indian-origin man in west London in 2017 to mark the four-year anniversary of his death. Satnam Singh, 45, was killed four years ago and a reward of £10,000 remains on offer for…
THE likely collapse of Australian finance house Greensill is trouble for Indian-born British businessman Sanjeev Gupta as he owes around £4 billion to it and some of the world’s biggest lenders, reported The Times. Reports said that Gupta’s acquisition spree has been fuelled by Greensill’s supply chain finance funds, enabling…
CHILDREN return to school in England on Monday (8) for the first time since January, as the government begins to ease tough restrictions, thanks to a mass vaccination drive against the coronavirus. Throughout the latest lockdown since the start of the new year, schools have remained open to children of…
By Sunder Katwala Director, British Future SPRING begins with a tangible sense of hope. March will surely be a month when we look both back and forward. When lockdown began in 2020, few of us anticipated being still caught in its grip a year later. That anniversary will provide a…
Scottish Labour named Anas Sarwar as their new leader on Saturday, ahead of an election for the country's devolved parliament in May. Sarwar, a Glasgow member of the Scottish parliament (MSP), succeeds Richard Leonard who resigned in January. Labour's fortunes have flagged in Scotland with the Scottish National Party (SNP)…
TWO separate studies published in the UK, one in England and another in Scotland, have shown vaccines against Covid-19 are effective in cutting disease transmission and hospitalisations from the first dose. Analysis from Public Health England has shown the vaccine manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech reduces the risk of catching infection by…
UK prime minister Boris Johnson on Monday (22) tabled a four-step “cautious” roadmap in Parliament for the country to be eased out of its strict stay-at-home lockdown, with a tentative June 21 timeline for most limits on social contact to be lifted if the coronavirus infection rates remain under check.…
BRITISH prime minister Boris Johnson is set Monday(22) to start unwinding England's third and potentially final coronavirus lockdown, as a quickening UK-wide inoculation drive relieves pressure on overstretched hospitals. In a statement to parliament, Johnson will confirm the reopening of all English schools on March 8 in the first big…
The UK government on Sunday (21) vowed to offer a first coronavirus vaccine dose to every adult by the end of July, as it readied to announce a gradual easing of its third lockdown in England. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who will outline the lockdown review in parliament on Monday,…
THE UK on Tuesday(16) launched its first and largest survey to document the impact of Covid-19, and the lockdowns, on the lives of 17,000 ethnic and religious minority people. The Evidence for Equality National Survey (EVENS), ,which will run for three months until May 2021, aims to transform the policy…
The UK government on Monday(15) introduced mandatory hotel quarantine rules for arrivals from dozens of countries deemed 'high risk' for coronavirus variants, as it tries to stop new strains spreading. The new policy requires all UK citizens and permanent residents entering England from 33 countries on a wider travel ban…
By Murtuza Iqbal In 2020, there were multiple reports that Sonam Kapoor will be seen in a Sujoy Ghosh production venture which will be a remake of the Korean movie Blind. Finally, in December, the movie went on the floors. While announcing the film, Sujoy Ghosh had tweeted, “my brother…
BRITAIN closed in Friday(12) on a mid-February target to offer coronavirus vaccinations to 15 million of its most vulnerable people, raising hopes that a grinding lockdown could be eased. More than 13.5 million people have been given a jab since the world-first immunisation programme began in early December, with a…
THE NHS Covid-19 app has been breaking chains of transmission to protect users and their communities since its launch in September, a statement said. Over 1.7 million app users across England and Wales have been advised to isolate by the app following a close contact with someone who goes on…
By Sarwar Alam and Pramod Thomas WITH being in lockdown, on and off for almost a year, the one thing everyone is dreaming of is being able to go on adventures again. That feeling of your heart thumping faster, the adrenaline pulsing through your veins, the instant impact of a…
By Anas Sarwar MSP Scottish Labour leadership candidate GROWING up, I saw both the ugly and the inspiring side of politics. I was born in Glasgow – it is a city where diverse communities are made to feel incredibly welcome and where I am proud to bring up my…
By Priyankur Mandav COMMUNITY pharmacy is the “front door to the NHS”, health and social care secretary Matt Hancock said in his remarks at the 20th annual Pharmacy Business Awards last Thursday (21). In a video message as chief guest at the virtual event, Hancock expressed his support to…
By Sarwar Alam & Pramod Thomas With being in lockdown, on and off for almost a year, the one thing everyone is dreaming of is being able to go on adventures again. That feeling of your heart thumping faster, the adrenaline pulsing through your veins, the instant impact of a…
BRITISH ministers will discuss further tightening travel restrictions on Monday(25), the BBC reported on Saturday(23), adding that people arriving in the country could be required to quarantine in hotels. Prime minister Boris Johnson told a news conference on Friday(22) that the UK may need to implement further measures to protect…
